RAMSEY TUCKER One new boys Khalsa found life difficult as Ramsey rattled up 234-4. Marc Cutworth (113) retired after putting on a match-winning opening partnership with Damien Clarke (58). James Woodward (20) also boosted the final total with his contribu

RAMSEY

TUCKER One new boys Khalsa found life difficult as Ramsey rattled up 234-4. Marc Cutworth (113) retired after putting on a match-winning opening partnership with Damien Clarke (58). James Woodward (20) also boosted the final total with his contribution. The bowlers got to work and Michael Kay (2-26) and David Carlaw (2-38) blew away the top order after what had seemed a promising start. Mark Edwards (3-15) stepped up to dispatch the tail as Khalsa sputtered to 142 all out.

In Rutland Three Ramsey put in a fine performance to chase down Loddington's 238-9. Loddington opener's Simon Sanders (125) and Andy Stanley (35) made batting look easy and the home side declared at 238-9. Ramsey's reply faltered at the start with the loss of three early wickets but rising star 15-year-old Dan Malem (80) and Matt Slack (43) put things back on track and Ramsey got home with 242-7.

EATON SOCON

THE struggling Peppercorns Lane side entertained Castor & Ailsworth in Tucker Two on Saturday and continued their dismal run of fortune to stay in the basement of the league. Castor batted first and steadily made their way to 180 all out. Socon's reply was poor with only captain Paul Field and Terry Day getting into the mid-twenties. They were finally dismissed for a well below-par score of 120. After the game Field lamented his side's batting performance: "We restricted them well in the first half of the match thanks to some good bowling and some great fielding, but the batting has been woeful.

"We need to see our batsmen hit form if we are to climb up the league."

WARBOYS

CHRISTMAS Cup action at St Ives saw visitors Warboys pull off a narrow four-run win. Electing to bat first, the visitors closed at 116-9, and St Ives fell just short in reply at 112-9.

BUCKDEN

BUCKDEN and visitors Ramsey II dished up a feast of cricket on Saturday with the game only decided with three balls remaining. Ramsey batted first with Malcolm O'Grady (45) and Pete Youds (43) helping them to 196-7, with the home side's David Bennett (3-44) in the wickets. Buckden had the experience of Paul Tidey (68) and Richard Gale (33) to help the reply but as Tom Milner (4-39) destroyed the top order they fell to an agonising 192 all out with just three balls left.

GODMANCHESTER

LEAGUE Champions Swardeston proved they have not lost their appetite from last season as they put Godmanchester to the sword on Saturday. Godmanchester captain Paul Swannell won the toss for the first time this season and with the expectation of movement from the wicket, he elected to bowl. Three early wickets seemed to be justifying his decision but as soon as the ball lost its shine so did the visitors' bowling attack. Richard Sims (72) and Jaden Hatwell (48) lifted the score from 38-3 to 135 before the partnership was broken.

Only Swannell (2-54) looked in control as the hosts racked up an impressive 278-6. Godmanchester lost Wayne Bradley (0) in the first over and slumped to 35-4. Matt Pateman (40) and Swannell (33) set about a repair job and added 55 before they both fell and but for good knocks from David McCallum (29) and James Cowan (29*), the final total of 189 all out could have been considerably lower.

HUNTINGDON

TOWN II visited Upwood III in Hunts League Five and needed the experience of in-form batsman Phil Wright to guide them home. Upwood batted first and reached a creditable 186-8 with Micky Drage (51) the backbone of the innings. Huntingdon's 13-year-old bowler Liam Gaynor (4-66) impressed as did Adrian Rose (3-20) from 12 overs.

Huntingdon made a poor start and meandered to 70-6 as Ryan Drage (3-46) got to work but Wright (70*) and Chris Pegg (36*) saved the day by taking Huntingdon home at 187-6.

WARESLEY

WARESLEY II took on Godmanchester III in Hunts League Two, who after batting first found themselves three wickets down very quickly. John Hardy (82*) and Paul Berrill (36) performed a rescue act that saw Godmanchester to 194-6 after Jim Keys (3-47) had blown away the top order. Waresley had few problems with their reply as James Collins (48) and Russell Nicholson (55*) gave them a solid start. Good knocks by Steve Warman (40) and Nick Greenfield (34*) were enough to take Waresley to 196-3.

ALCONBURY

SEAM bowlers were licking their lips at the sight of the green wicket at Old Eastonians and the home captain had little difficulty in asking Alconbury to bat first. Wickets fell at regular intervals as the ball zipped off the pitch and only patient batting saw Alconbury reach 123-9 with Ryan Tyler (27) sticking to his task. Eastonians were made to work hard by fine seam bowling from veteran Shaun Hubbard and Gary Cole, but they squeezed home at 125-5.

Visitors Alconbury II were asked to bat by Ramsey III and made good progress from the first ball. After the openers had put on 45, Roland Amft (98) came to the wicket guiding the score to 241-6 at close. Ramsey replied soundly with Elliott Smith (78) in the groove. Alconbury bowlers Dexter Ewing and Sam Barnard maintained a tight line as Ramsey were restricted to 171-4 in reply

ST IVES

SPIN bowlers did the trick for St Ives in their match against Camden II. Kevin Sequenza (5-33) led the way as Camden struggled all the way to 140 all out. St Ives reply got the start they needed when Captain Ricky Greiller (63) found some form, and Bevis Moynan (45*) took them home with overs to spare.

Ives III entertained Bluntisham II with the latter batting first. They made steady progression to 178 with John Young taking four wickets. After early losses Ives regrouped with Michael Hunt leading the charge to a one-wicket win despite Roly Searle (5-27). St Ives IV were asked to bat on a green top and mustered just 106 thanks to Will Lygo (40) and a last wicket stand of 34 between captain Dominic Stevens and Jonny Richardson. Syd Hearn (3-36) and Stevens (2-11) got in the wickets but Haddenham reached 110-6 to take the points.

Stevens (4-39) was in the wickets against Doddington in the Fenland Trophy as Doddington ran up 237 all out. Lygo (88*) and Ryan Withers (115*) put on an unbroken stand of 200 for a resounding win with 239-1. In the Twenty20 Ives cruised to 226-5 and Camborne managed just 146-9 in reply. Moynan (4-32) could not prevent Warboys winning the Christmas Cup encounter as Ives fell four runs short.

HOUGHTON & WYTON

Local bragging rights went to Houghton after a seven wicket win against Upwood II. Home side Upwood batted first but were indebted to their batsmen at numbers nine and 11. Andre Goddison (37*) and Chris Newton (19*) took the score to 144-9 after Neil Tuffin (28) had scored early runs. Kim Garner (3-33) and Pete Waughman (3-34) did most of the damage and it was Waughman (67) who haunted Upwood with the bat. Opener Simon Wales (32) batted soundly and Houghton got home to 145-3 with little trouble.

UPWOOD

THE loss of five key first-XI players have left the Hunts League One club in a state of turmoil, after they were forced to concede their fixture against Ickwell on Saturday. Chairman Roy Brown explained that the player shortage could threaten the club's future in the division. "Circumstances have left us with a lack of players at the top level. We have a meeting on Tuesday evening (last night), but the feeling at present is that we may have to withdraw from the division."

COUNTY CRICKET

HUNTINGDONSHIRE 50+ were in action at Waresley against Bedfordshire. After batting first, they closed at 208-9 with Barry Cavilla (46) topping the scoring. Accurate bowling especially from Dave Smith (3-18) made sure that the visitors managed only 172-8 in reply.

COUNTY YOUTH

HUNTINGDONSHIRE U12 made it two wins from three games with an excellent win at Gerrards Cross over Buckinghamshire in the Jefferson Trophy. The home side elected to bat and reached 171-8 off 40 overs with Farhan Ali (3-42) and Bradley West (2-21) doing the damage. Hunts paced their reply well and reached the total with an over to spare thanks largely to George Furbank (71).

JUNIOR CRICKET

FORTY-SIX extras were given away by St Ives U13 against Buckden, who smashed their way to 176-2. In reply Jack Haycock (54) helped the Ives total to 119-5 but to little avail on the night.

Ives U15 were 13-4 against a lively Upwood attack but Johnny Richardson (43) and Jordan Cadogan (12) saw the total to 108-8. Nick Bennett (3-21) failed to prevent Upwood marching to a win at 120-7.

OTHER RESULTS

Dean 206-9 bt Orton Park 193-9; Sawtry 68 lost to Huntingdon 232-7; Warboys 179-7 bt Ufford Park 178-9; Sawtry II 185 bt Great Staughton 108; Hinchingbrooke/Brampton 199-9 bt Warboys II 188; Newborough II 206-9 bt Dean II 167; Longstowe 84-0 bt Sawtry III 83; Godmanchester II 129 bt Camden 115; Nassington 219-8 bt Waresley 130; Bluntisham 89 lost to Barnack 130; Yaxley 194 bt Kimbolton & Catworth 190.