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Sudbury Cricket Club, Colin's Column, Week 11

Colin

Sudbury Cricket Club News, Colin's Column, week 11

Half Time

My apologies for the slight delay in production of the column this week, I had the great pleasure to be an invited guest to Chelmsford where Essex were taking on the might of pretty much the full England team. A very entertaining day where we saw some excellent cricket including Ty Mills, the "Mildenhall missile", seriously rattling the England batsmen bowling at 90 mph plus and Jaik Mickleburgh who until very recently was playing for Horsford in the EAPL, make a stylish 90

So we reach the half-way point of the 2013 club cricket season and time to take stock of where we are and where we might be going.

This weekend was a microcosm of the season so far with the teams that normally win winning and those that lose losing. The only enigma is the Talbot's senior side the Saturday first eleven who are consistent only in their inconsistency.

The Ladies were washed out on Friday when it looked like November had arrived early in a filthy days weather and they approach their last game of the season this weekend with just pride to play for.

Saturday dawned clear and blue skied which meant all three teams got a full days cricket.

Our premier team had a very strange game indeed at home to Burwell who are having their best season yet in the EAPL. Inspired by their Cambridgeshire opening bat Pete Richer who made 137, the away side raced to 250 for 2 before Ben Hyett with a beautifully controlled spell of flight and guile took 5 wickets supported by Rory Darkins with 3 and they collapsed to 298 all out.

Sudbury were never likely to be able to hunt down such a huge total which may have been in the backs of their minds as they slumped to 93 for 5 (strangely the first three partnerships all yielded 24 runs each so maybe that's Sudbury's 111?) then a brilliant fight back with a partnership of 75 between James Poulson (38) and Adam Mansfield and it looked as if Sudbury would save the game. Unfortunately the last 5 wickets fell for just 14 runs leaving the team all out for 182 and Mansfield stranded on 49 not out with just 4 overs left to bat out.

Sudbury garnered 7 bonus points from the game which was pretty much the same as all the other sides below them in the league so they remain in mid table. A win against second to bottom of the table Woolpit this week should ensure EAPL cricket for another year allowing Batch's boys the luxury of looking up the table at those above rather than over their shoulders at those below.

The Saturday seconds continued their winning run chasing down 218 to beat Coggeshall by 5 wickets. Very sketchy information available on the game other than Will Shropshire passed 50 for the first time in a while and Matt Pears run of 50's and 100's came to an end when he was run out in the forties. Adi Dhage bowled unchanged for 15 overs in the heat taking 2 for 60.

The team remains third in Two Counties Division 3 but they have a big opportunity to get back into the promotion places with a trip to genteel Frinton, one place above them, this Saturday.

A very young Saturday thirds had a less productive day being shot out for just 112 by promotion chasing Kelvedon who passed the score comfortably with the loss of only 2 wickets. Chris Cook contributed a thirty and Matt Griffiths a 20, wickets for skipper Phil Halliday and Alec Siegert. The side are definitely suffering from a lack of experienced batsmen with the main stays of last year's promotion winning batting either injured or unavailable.

The Thirds remain in the relegation places of Two Counties Division 6 and but couple of wins would make all the difference to both confidence and league position.

Sunday was just the most perfect English summer day, blue skies with fluffy clouds and a gentle breeze. At Friar Street, Ardleigh very kindly stepped in at the last moment to provide Sudbury first team with some "friendly" opposition. Unfortunately they could only muster 7 men but enough for a competitive game with one or two of the away team allowed to bat twice and some of the Sudbury youngsters fielding twice. The away side batted first and managed 226 all out with some fine bowling performances from Sudburys youngsters, the pick of whom Tom Powis took three wickets. Darren Batch also snared three with his tricky leg spinners (comparisons with Shane Warne were maybe a little over enthusiastic.) In reply Batch (81) and young Jake Welch (20) put on 100 for the first wicket before a very classy 59 not out from Charlie Holt and 35 not out from skipper Nathan Poole saw the home side win by 6 wickets.

The Sunday first team remains top of Hunts County Bats Division 1 with the key fixture against Woolpit to come at the end of July.

Unfortunately Hunts County Bats Division three is proving problematic for Alan Macdairmid's Sunday seconds as they slumped to another defeat, this time at local rivals Long Melford. Only the captain passed 20 in a total of 92 which the home side passed in 23 overs for the loss of just three wickets, Brian Poulson taking a couple of them and Roger Troughton the other.

So we turn the corner for the big run home and with lots of big games to come and cricket week at the end of the month, plenty of reasons to head down to Friars Street to enjoy the entertainment. Special bonus this week as Suffolk's all conquering seniors (over 50's) including Sudbury veterans Guy Robins, Simon Halliday are in town on Wednesday to play Cambridgeshire.

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