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Half Term report, Colin’s Sudbury Cricket column

Author: Colin Walters

Published: 3rd July 2015 16:57

Sudbury Cricket

Half Term report, Colin’s Sudbury Cricket column, Week 11

So we in Sudbury come to the half way point of what has been a very interesting season so far and whilst not everything has quite gone to plan, in the main it’s been a positive first half…

Sudbury’s Saturday First X1 are in poll position for a return to the East Anglian Premier League, top of 2 Counties Division 1. Up until last week there had been only 1 slightly freakish defeat to a brilliant innings from Facey from Witham but on a stunningly beautiful Saturday afternoon the wheels if not completely coming off, certainly suffered a couple of punctured tyres as the Talbot side were bowled out for 83 by middle of the table Mistley. Not sure anyone saw it coming and the Mistley supporters looked as surprised as anybody but it made for a very short game with Mistley knocking off the runs in just more than 20 overs. Sudbury did at least save themselves from complete humiliation by taking 4 wickets so gaining a vital 2 bonus points to keep them clear of 2^nd place Mildenhall.

The Saturday 2^nd X1 probably thought they were some way under par having only scored 175 for 6 on Mildenhall’s glorious batting wicket with a jug avoiding 49 from Matt Pears and 67 from wonderfully in form Steve Witham. Despite veteran twirler Andy Simmons straining a fetlock it still proved 17 too many for the home side who collapsed from 100 for 2 to 158 all out. Brad Richardson was the destroyer in chief with a magnificent 7 for 37 and he was supported by Adi  Dhage who took the other 3 wickets. A great result which saw the Saturday 2nds climb to 8^th and 22 points clear of the relegation places in 2-Counties division 2

The Saturday 3^rd team have had a difficult first half of the season especially with some games against other sides in the bottom half of the table being cancelled or abandoned but they produced a spectacular win at St Osyth to get back to the pack and although still 2^nd to bottom of 2-Counties Division 6 are just 8 points short of 7^th in a very congested lower half. The Talbots made 199 for 6 in their 45 overs with Elliot Wotton top scoring (76 not out) and he was well supported by Keelan Waldock who is having a fine season (30), and Willie Amos and Harry Wright who both made 20’s. St Osyth made a decent fist of their reply but finished 25 short of a win. Alan Macdairmid was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets supported by skipper Halliday and Craig Raynor with 2 each and Dan Fisher with 1.

After a glorious Saturday, just for a change it rained on Sunday but for one of the few occasions this season Sudbury got 2 teams out and they both played… shortened games but cricket anyway,

The first X1 lost a close encounter at Battisford after making 198/6 with Darren Batch 82 and Al Younger 68. The home side snuck home by 4 wickets despite losing 3 early ones. 2 wickets each for the veteran seam attack of Phil Halliday, Charlie Thomas and Al Macdairmid. They sit just a place off the relegation places in Hunts County Bats Division 1 but some way clear. Hopefully some of the “county” stars will be around to help out during the second half of the season.

The Sunday 2^nd X1 probably had the result of the weekend beating top of Division 5 table Bardwell at Friars Street. Batting first the Talbots made 154 for 8 in their 30 overs with Willie Amos, another in fine form this season, making 39 and skipper James Elsey 40. The away side got nowhere near being bowled out for just 100 in 28^th over. 3 wickets for Paul East, 2 each for the captain and Alec Siegert and one each for Jake Welch and Keelan Waldock.. The Sudbury team are bottom of the league but the experience of adult cricket gained by the half a dozen youngsters playing every week is invaluable.

So the days are already getting shorter though summer finally arrived spectacularly this week with soaring heat and humidity (felt more like being out in Dubai than Suffolk). Very much looking forward to seeing Sudbury Saturday first team put their last week blip behind them and romp away to the 2-Counties league title sometime at the end of next month or early in September. Also greatly looking forward to what should be a fascinating Ashes series. Having been at Chelmsford to see the Aussies paste Essex all around the ground for 440 in 90 overs, if the test series is played at the same gallop it’s going to be well worth watching… If only it was on terrestrial TV!

This Saturday the Talbot 1^st X1 entertain Maldon at Friars Street whilst the 2^nd X1 travel to Kelvedon and the 3^rd X1 entertain Worlington 2^nd’s at Lavenham. On Sunday the 2^nd X1 host Walsham Le Willows whilst the 1^st X1 are away to Brockley.

 

 

 

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