Fifteen and Counting for the Rams

The Rams took their incredible unbeaten run to fifteen matches with an emphatic victory over Ramsey. The other Rams from the Fens won the toss and having, maybe, been seduced by the green tinge to the wicket opted to insert the home side.

The Sawston Rams opened up with skipper Callum Guest and his usual partner Ralph Hayward; with Hayward dominating with some crisp stroke play the pair raced to a fifty partnership in just forty balls. Hayward surviving a fairly routine chance to short midwicket was perhaps his only slight blemish as he moved to fifty at a run a ball. With a century stand there for the taking Ramsey’s young seamer Mark Hodgson had Guest, smartly caught behind by Dan Heath;  on his first return to Spicers following a pre-season move. The in-form Ethan Rice, last week’s centurion, joined Hayward. There was no respite for the visitors as the pair continued with the batting unit’s theme of the day matching some excellent stroke play with some aggressive running. This paid dividends as at times the fielding became a little ragged. The young pair of batters added the second half-century stand of the day (off forty-five balls), and the home side’s one hundred and fifty came in the twenty-fourth over. Drinks were taken at one hundred and sixty-five for one; with the Rams eyeing a three fifty total. Hayward and Rice reached their century stand (from 81 deliveries) just before Rice moved to another fifty (off 46 balls). Just after the two hundred mark was reached and with Hayward just two runs away from his first EAPL century, which would have meant he would have eclipse Rice as the youngest EAPL centurion for the Club, disaster struck. He got a faint edge to a Tarun Mouli (1-40) delivery and was out with the score on two hundred and seven. This was just rewards for the slow left-armer, another player making a return to Sawston after a close season move, who managed to return some very tidy figures from his ten over allocation despite the carnage around him. Ben Claydon joined Rice as the visitor’s attack remained under the cosh; the pair keeping up the pattern as another half-century stand was reached (off 48 balls). Hodgson (2-56) returned to the attack and he found the edge of Rice’s bat with the Ram’s right hander just thirteen runs shy of back-to-back centuries (off just 82 balls). With nine and a half overs left the home side were two hundred and seventy for three. Dan Andrew in great touch following last week’s excellent knock in the cup joined Claydon. Claydon with a mix of power and finesse moved almost imperceptibly (at least to his teammates and crowd) to a half century in just thirty-eight balls. The tall right hander moved onto seventy-nine (off 54 balls) before he was bowled by Cambridgeshire teammate Mark Saunders (1-87) as he attempted another reverse hit. With just nine balls left Lee Thomason (21 no from 7) and Andrew (28 no off 20) had some fun as the pair added twenty-two to take the total to three hundred and seventy-four at the close.

The visitors opened up with both their EAPL leading run scorers Cambridgeshire’s Ben Saunders and the Sri Lankan Sandun Weerakkody. The overseas after a sticky start to his Ramsey career had found form in the last month; the visitors would have been hoping that he could duplicate his big hundred from last week. The left hander attempted an expansive stroke off Jack Beaumont (1-13) and was caught by Claydon with the score on thirteen. The score became fourteen for two when Raj Singh accepted a sharp caught and bowled chance to dismiss Ramsey skipper Michael Cafferkey. Henry Wilson, a third player making his first return to Sawston, was deceived by Singh just eleven runs later. Mark Saunders then joined his brother and the pair dug in to add the only significant partnership of the reply. The pair reached a half century stand (off 66 balls). Mark Saunders (36 off 42) was bowled by a beauty from his Cambridgeshire one day Captain James Sykes with the score on ninety. Sykes then went ‘bang-bang’ when he trapped George Buckle in front just twelve runs later. Drinks were taken, early, with the reply in tatters at one hundred and two for five. Ben Saunders moved to a fifty (off 69 balls). He was out moments later when he found the hands of Andrew in the deep off Sykes. Saunder’s dismissal sparking a total collapse as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just five runs. Was this a re-run from last Sunday’s drama! Harley Edmonds gave Sykes a fourth (4-42); and Elliot Cafferkey found the hands of Singh to give Rice a wicket (1-8). Singh (4-37) then returned to have Heath caught behind by Thomason before he bowled Hodgson to end the innings on one hundred and eighteen.

It’s getting very congested at the top of the AVL EAPL table. Last week’s leaders Copdock were beaten at Mildenhall. With the Rams, Horsford (at home to Witham)  and Swardeston (away at Bury) all winning the top four are separated by just two points. The Rams moved to joint top with Horsford, Swardeston in third are just a point back and Copdock just another point adrift. Frinton who have signalled their intention not to contest the relegation play-offs were defeated by Sudbury. AB Wanderers strange season continued when they were soundly beaten by Downham Stow in a game that didn’t last thirty-two overs!

Apart from a win for the firsts it was a disappointing day for the rest of our teams. The second team had another tough day when they lost at fellow strugglers Histon by over a hundred runs. The home side were put into bat and thanks to top scorers Ed Hyde (90 from 117) and Seb Harrison (64 from 116) posted an impressive two hundred and seventy for seven. Geo Varghese (2-38) and the returning Shiv Darbar (2-41) were the most successful bowlers. Dan Barnes (1-38) and former skipper Miguel Machado (1-73) also returned to second team duties.

In reply skipper Julius Jackson (49 from 71), Machado (51 from 68) and Varghese (24 off 22) were the only batters to make it into double figures as the Histon spinners weaved their web. John Turner (5-26) and Ben Leach (4-26) ensured that the Rams once again didn’t enjoy their trial by spin.

The selection committee’s decision to strengthen the third team’s batting by releasing Henry Cotton was rewarded when the promising sixteen-year-old scored his maiden senior century (119 from 188 balls), away at Great Chishill. The young opener added eighty-two with veteran Wes Potschul (38 from 42), before another significant partnership (of 81) with another teen Ayra Saeb-Parsy (34 from 24) got the Rams back on track despite them losing four wickets for thirteen runs.  Arnav Wadekar (15 from 21) and Gary Ellis (21 from 17) ensured the visitors posted a highly competitive two hundred and forty-eight. Oliver Brunt (3-28) and Chris Bond (3-50) doing most to restrict the Rams.

James Piper (70 no from 100 deliveries) anchored the innings and he and Max Wiseman (32 off 40) added seventy-seven for the first wicket; before Sam Stoop (66 from 40) added crucial momentum. Despite Jake Ellis (3-56) and Wadekar (2-36) picking up wickets the home side romped to a four-wicket victory with nineteen balls to spare.

The fourths returned to action at the Churchman Ground to greet visitors Ickleton. They won the toss and opted to bat. Niall Barber (24 of 31) and Richard Molton (22 off 45) gave them a decent start by adding forty-eight for the first wicket. After that only Dom Cameron and Marcus Wetzl  with eighteen apiece and Trevor Nicholl made it into double figures as the visitors attack strangled the innings. Sony Joseph (3-15), Pooven Padayachee (2-21) and Dhruv Sharma (2-22) ensured the hosts could only reach a modest one hundred and twenty-eight in their forty overs.

In reply David Mathias (25 from 20), Vernon Brown (52 off 48) and David Jones (34 off 35) had no such difficulties as they raced to victory in just over seventeen overs. Teens Ethan Cashmore (1-19) and Cian Barber (1-23) could not deny Ickleton skipper Andy Norrie a winning return to his former club.