All the cricket action from across the district

Senior Division 2

ELY made the most of some excellent batting conditions to record a comfortable 41-run win over Longstanton Grasshoppers.

Opting to wield willow first, Ely looked comfortable from the outset and found runs easy to come by as each batsmen made a useful contribution. M Hatcher (79) starred for the home side on the day but 38 from Jonny Wallace and 31 from Bruce King ensured Ely posted 245-6 at the close.

With plenty of runs to defend, Ely could afford to be ambitious with the ball and despite a good knock from Jonathan Newman (63), the home side were able to take regular wickets. Kingshuk Dasgupta was on good form with the ball to take 3-59 with able support provided by King (2-33). Wicketkeeper Robin Parker was also on top form as he bagged three stumpings. Longstanton finished on 204-8 at the close of the innings to hand Ely their fourth win this term.

Division 2A

A BLISTERING bowling performance from Little Downham saw them to a 48-run victory over Newmarket at the weekend.

Batting first, Downham’s top order came under fire from a tidy Newmarket attack that struck three times with less than 30 runs on the board. To their credit though, Downham rallied and led by M Nicholls (39) and P Staines (28) they recovered to 110-5 at the half-way point.

A useful cameo of 20 from D Cutforth kept Newmarket at bay for a few extra overs as Downham finished 137 all out in the final over of the innings.

Newmarket powered out of the blocks in their reply as openers O Rix and G Maggot put on 45 for the first wicket. A moment of magic behind the stumps from wicketkeeper Cutforth soon saw Rix dismissed though, and Downham’s attack made light work of the remaining lineup which capitulated under the pressure.

J White’s 4-28 was the stand out performance of the day but J Martin’s 3-24 was also worthy of note as Newmarket were dismissed for just 89.

? AN accomplished performance from Soham opener Nick Mingay ensured his side registered a five-wicket win over March III.

Asked to bowl first, the Soham attack found life difficult against a determined March opening duo but their nagging persistence eventually paid off as the wickets began to tumble.

David Lunn’s 3-26 was the highlight of the Soham attack but a useful contribution from Tom Clayton (2-37) ensured March were dismissed for 154, albeit 40 of those came via extras.

Soham’s reply with the bat was held together by opener Mingay who hit a measured 65 not out to hold his side’s innings together.

Despite five wickets tumbling, Mingay held firm and with the help of Paul Skinner (32*), who hit four maximums in a veritable blitzkrieg, was able to steer his side to the win.

Tucker Premier Division

FORDHAM’S struggles continued on Saturday as they were subjected to a 98-run hammering by Foxton.

Opting to bowl first, Fordham were unable to make the regular breakthroughs needed to restrict a rampant Foxton side that capitalised on the good conditions to notch up 284-8 at the declaration. Jason Harding was once again outstanding for Fordham as he collected 4-53 from his eight-over spell, no doubt keeping Foxton’s total below the 300-mark.

Chasing such a sizeable total required some quick scoring from the home side but their start was less than ideal as openers Gavin Harding and Matthew Foulds made just eight runs between them. Some determined play from Reece Theobold (30) and Darren Theobold (37) kept Fordham in the match as Foxton continued to harry but it wasn’t to be as they were dismissed for 186.

Division 1A

AN excellent bowling performance from Fordham’s Cy Philp went unrewarded as his side slipped to a five-run loss at the weekend.

Bowling first, Fordham unleashed Philp on the Needingworth attack from the outset and the decision quickly paid dividends as he tore through the home attack. Some admirable resistance from Stephen Mitcham (92) kept Needingworth in the chase but he too was eventually bowled by Philp who finished with 5-51 as the home side were bowled out for 215.

Fordham’s top-order batted soundly in the early stages of their reply and some excellent work from Philp (49) and Nick Foulds (39) ensured Fordham were well placed at 144-3 at the mid-way point. A resurgent effort from Needingworth’s Oliver Anthony changed the course of the match however, as he blasted his way to 6-59. Carl Arnold (19) batted desperately to get Fordham home but they ultimately fell just five runs short as the innings finsihed.

? PYMOOR smashed more than 300 runs on their way to a consummate win at Over on Saturday.

Batting first, Pymoor wasted no time in brutalising the Over attack and good performances from Mark Neighbour and Jon Hunt were complemented by South African talisman Lourens Herselman who hit no less than 17 maximums on his way to a staggering 167 not out. Pymoor’s prolific scoring rate peaked at eight-and-a-half-per-over as they posted 339-6 at the close.

Over’s task in reaching their target was an almost insurmountable one from the outset and was not helped by the form of Herselman who once again stole the show with a 10-over spell that yielded 5-61. Some excellent support work from Chris Baker (4-49) ensured that Over were all out for a relatively measly 179.

Division 4A

HADDENHAM retained their position in the all-important top-two despite slipping to a single wicket loss at Fordham III on Saturday.

Experienced duo Gary Thistlethwaite (47) and Neil Smith (44) batted patiently for Haddenham as they took to the crease first but the pair found little support as Fordham probed on a good length. Haddenham reached 159-8 at the close of the innings.

Requiring exactly four-per-over for victory, Fordham needed to keep the score board ticking over but some excellent bowling from Smith (3-21) and Alex Minell (2-47) made life difficult. Some swashbuckling overs towards the end of the innings saw Fordham back in to the game however, and a boundary from the penultimate ball ultimately handed them the victory.

? EXEMPLARY batting from opening duo Brian Simpson and John Goff ensured Isleham came out on top in an engrossing tussle with Wisbech Town IV.

Simpson and Goff have been in excellent form in recent weeks and the pair once again laid the foundations for their teams as the struck 87 and 49 respectively. A quick-fire 34 from Steven Goff late on ensured that Isleham made 214-7 at the close.

Top of the league Wisbech, have made a habit of scoring big runs this season and Isleham needed regular wickets to ensure they weren’t to become the leaders latest victims.

An excellent effort from Adrian Sheldrick (3-13) ensured the Wisbech top-order was unable to get going and, despite a decent knock of 85 from Wisbech’s Ben Tarrett, the intervention of Jonny Poole (2-39) ensured the visitors were dismissed for 194, some 20 runs short of their target.