WITCHAM had started toasting their second league win of the season at the tea break on Saturday as they skittled Over for 75.

But Nigel Pate’s side were in for shock in the second innings as a dramatic batting collapse saw them fold for just... 67.

Pate said: “We thought we were looking good when we bowled them out for 75 and then we got bowled out for 67!

“It was a combination of them bowling pretty well and us not batting very well. The scores were never going to be very high but we still thought we’d got it wrapped up. “The weather has been awful and we had about four friendlies cancelled so some of our batsmen have hardly picked up a bat this season!”

Nigel Hailstone took four wickets to put Witcham in control at the weekend, while Ian Housden recorded stunning figures of 3-7 off 10 overs.

But Witcham’s batsmen found the seamer-friendly wicket even harder going, as only Andrew George (39) reached double figures in their reply.

The eight-run defeat leaves Witcham sixth in Cambs Junior 1A.

Things didn’t get any better for the club on Sunday as they limped to a seven-wicket defeat against March II in the Fenland Trophy.

Only Pate (46 not out) managed double figures as Witcham were shot out for 81.

• A CLASSY 80 not out from opener Gavin Harding guided Fordham to a five-wicket win over Ickwell in Tucker Gardner Division Two.

Chris Reay (3-33) and Craig Theobald (3-42) helped bowl Ickwell out for 146, before Harding and Mark Silcock (30) eased Fordham to victory.