Tense final over as Ely draw with Longstanton

Ely CC V Longstanton CC, ely bowler Ben Storey (Image: Archant)

ALMOST 400 runs were scored and 17 wickets taken but nothing could separate Ely from Longstanton Grasshoppers as the two sides played out a remarkable draw on Saturday.

Longstanton opened the batting at the Paradise Centre and notched up a solid total of 194-8 from 45 overs.

Ely’s Ben Storey opened the bowling and took four wickets - having doing the same for the second team a week earlier - while Andy Zajac came on first change and took two wickets.

Ely’s reply chasing about 4.3-runs-per-over started well with a quick 60 from Sifaifual Nury, a half-century from Tom Beaumont, and 40 from Andy Buck. With 10 overs to go, Ely required just 31 to win with 5 wickets still standing.

To their credit, Longstanton managed to stifle the scoring and took regular wickets until Ely’s last-wicket pair - Storey and Ollie Sellers – found themselves needing seven from the last over, and three from the last ball.

They ran two, but had no time for a third, resulting in Ely’s second tie of the season.

In CCA Junior League 4N, meanwhile, City of Ely II had their bowlers to thank for setting up a comfortable six-wicket win over Cherry Hinton II.

Hinton opted to bat first and made steady progress as they reached 83-4 midway through the innings. Opener David Sloan made 35 and, together with Richard Ordish, who made 28, put on 40 runs for the fourth wicket.

When Sloan and Ordish were dismissed in quick succession, however, the momentum shifted rapidly, with Ely claiming the next six wickets for just 19 runs.

Sam Buck took 4-16 from 10 overs, Jamie Hilton took 3-20 and Jon Hill took 2-12 as Hinton were bowled out for 102 in 32 overs.

Though Ely opener Pete Cooper was dismissed cheaply, top order batsmen Matthew Tonge (32) and Mick Tickner (21) drew on their experience to steady the ship, adding 47 runs for the second wicket.

Satya Gautam (15*) and Phil Koopowitz (11*) brought home the win for Ely with more than 12 overs to spare.

The win keeps Ely in ninth place in the table and secures their position in the league for next season. They will be back in action again on Saturday as they host March Town IV at the Paradise Centre.