A perfect ending, but only if you win

I cannot quite believe that I’m saying this but this is my last match preview (collective sigh of relief from my loyal readers); where did this year’s summer go?

Saturday is a sponsors dream with the top two level on points going into a winner takes all decider in the 2026 AVL EAPL. In three of our four previous triumphs we have won it by the penultimate game or gone into the final match with a cushion. The only exception to this was that unbelievable day at Frinton in 2024, where at the start of the day, and for most of the day, no-one knew which of the three contenders was going to win it. This is our first final game showdown against the only other side that can lift the trophy. Our penultimate match triumph against runners-up Mildenhall in 2022 is the closest we can get to Saturday’s game.

Horsford, have survived my pre-season title tip, and at one point seemed to be running away with it. Indeed they got just past the halfway mark still undefeated with an ‘Invincibles’ tag awaiting! They have had a couple of stumbles in the run in but have regained their feet in the final furlong! Like the Rams they have a good all-round team with plenty of options with bat and ball. Up top Neil Hornbuckle (5th in the EAPL ladder with 796 runs) normally sets off at a pace, and Jordan Neil is just sixty runs behind him and eighth on the run-scoring table. Charlie Hood, who scored a century in the reverse fixture has also scored over five hundred league runs. J C Malherbe is an exciting young talent who has a growing reputation. With the ball spinners Ryan Findlay (46 wickets) and Hornbuckle (38) are both in the EAPL top five and will receive seam support from Norfolk’s Callum Metcalf, and younger pacemen in Nathan Muggeridge and Ben Panter.

The Rams were dealt a blow in the week when skipper Callum Guest received a two-match ban starting this week. Ethan Rice will have the opportunity to take his runs total above Copdock’s overseas Mihlali Mpongwana and move into second place behind Mildenhall’s Matt Allen. Guest will probably end up fifth after another superb season. Ben Claydon will have to go big to overtake his skipper. With the ball Claydon and James Sykes are locked together with thirty-eight wickets but both will want to finish as the top Ram.

The Rams will need to take their unbeaten EAPL run to sixteen if they are to lift their fifth title and be the third team in the competitions history to win three consecutive titles. If they don’t they will think back to the reverse fixture where the rain saved the home side after the Rams had put in another strong bowling and fielding performance.

Horsford will create two bits of Club history if they win on Saturday; it will be their first ever EAPL title and their first ever win at Spicers.  With Guest out and doubts over a couple more Rams they will probably go into the game as slight favourites.

Unless one side has a one-sided victory at Spicers  the best Copdock can hope for is a win at AB Wanderers and a third placed finish. Swardeston (at Ramsey) and Mildenhall (at Bury) will scrap it out for fourth and fifth. Downham host Sudbury and the 2019 Champions Frinton bow out of the league with a home tie against Witham.

On a personal note I’ll miss the trips and friendly welcome down on the Essex coast and the Club wish Frinton all the best for the future.

The following week Norfolk champions North Runcton, hoping it will be third time lucky after losing out to the Rams in 2019 and Ramsey last year, travel to Woolpit (the Two Counties Champions) in the EAPL play-off match.