RAMSEY are banking on Wisbech Town slipping up as the two teams begin to break away at the top of the TuckerGardner Premier table.

The second-placed Rams recorded a narrow victory over Waresley on Saturday – but Wisbech were pretty brutal in their seven-wicket destruction of Castor & Ailsworth to maintain their slender lead at the top of the table.

But the Ramsey captain, Taylor West, is confident that his side can keep up the chase – and if they can beat the leaders when they meet at The Cricketfield on July 20, that will put Ramsey in the driving seat for a tilt at promotion to the East Anglian Premier League through those tricky end-of-season play-offs.

“There’s is a gap opening up below us but it’s only 40 or so points so a couple of defeats and that would go,” said West. “We just need to keep on taking each game as it comes and if we can get the points from Wisbech next month then that will put us in the driving seat.

“We just need to stay in the race and if we are in the mix with four or five games to go, then we will have a real chance.”

Visitors Waresley were all out for 126 after 41.1 overs with their top scorers, Phil Masdin (28) and Sheikh Baqar Ali (21) lacking much support for their team-mates as Ramsey’s David Carlaw rattled through the wickets to finish with a brilliant 7-39 and a catch.But, in reply, Ramsey lost eight wickets and were grateful for a tidy 26 not out from Sam Rippington after Michael Cafferkey’s opening 22 and Luke Stewart’s reasonable 29. It was Ali who caused the home side their problems with the bowler taking 5-60.

Despite the loss, Waresley can be pretty pleased with life in their first season in the top division after winning promotion last year. At the moment they are fifth in the table, one place below Godmanchester who they will visit on Saturday.

“We have one more game before half way and we are pretty happy with the way things have gone,” said the captain Simon Donald. “It’s relatively close at the top but we are no means safe yet – but we are sitting pretty at the moment.”

Donald did admit that the club have had a little bit of luck with a couple of rain-assisted wins, but the team has been strengthened recently by the addition of Ali, the Waresley’s overseas player from Pakistan who joined after Australian Ernie Neville failed to show up despite agreeing to spent another summer with the team.

“Ernie agreed to come but then that fell through so Ali came and he has taken 15 wickets in four games. He’s a significant addition,” said Donald.

Godmanchester will host Waresley after putting an end to a worrying three game-losing streak against Camden on Saturday.

The Goddy captain, Matt Pateman, scored an excellent 80 runs with Wayne Bradley hitting 58 as the team put on 239-6 in their 48 overs. Chethan William then claimed six wickets for just 20 runs, with Bradley getting 3-22, as Camden collapsed and were all out for 112 from 43 overs.

At the other end of the table, St Ives Town lost again, this time at the division’s bottom club Cambridge NCI, a team hadn’t previously recorded a win this year. Batting first, the home side – Cambridge – reached 159, only for St Ives to be skittled all out for just 66.

HUNTS COUNTY BATS HUNTS LEAGUE

NOMI Khan was once again the star of the show for Huntingdon & District on Saturday when he hit 69 in the home side’s 203-6 and then recorded figures of 4-42 to help stop Ufford Park just short for a four wicket win.

The result leaves Huntingdon second in Division One of the Hunts County Bats League with Godmanchester Town II in third after their three-wicket loss to leaders Blunham, despite Steve Marsh’s 4-32.

Godmanchester only managed to set Blunham a target of 99 with Marsh top-scoring on 25. However, the visitors were seven wickets down by the time they got to 100 in the 27th over.

At the bottom of the table, Waresley II were soundly beaten by Ramsey II when they were all out for 73 in 36.1 overs and allowed openers Damian Clarke (43 not out) and Elliot Smith (20) to make light work of the chase.

In Division Two there were wins for Eaton Socon II (over Orton Park), Alconbury (AK XI), while Warboys II were beaten by Cople.

In Division Three, Houghton & Wyton had a good seven-wicket win over Huntingdon & District II.

Tom Agass hit 80 and Jonathan Mews 55 for Buckden but that wasn’t enough as they slipped up against a rampant Biggleswade side. Upwood collapsed to a 90-run defeat at Blunham II.

Ramsey III had a five-wicket win over Brampton in Division Four with Sawtry heavily beaten at Bretton.

SMITH BARRY SENIOR CUP

GODMANCHESTER Town took the honours in the Smith Barry Senior Cup when they beat Huntingdon & District in the semi-finals on Sunday.

The captain, Matt Pateman (59), Matt Davies-Binge (57) and Wayne Bradley (49) were all at the top of their games as Goddt set Huntingdon a target of 273-6 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Huntingdon were all out for 152 with Steve Marsh (3-32) the pick of Goddy’s bowlers.

RUTLAND LEAGUE

EATON Socon are top of Division One of the Rutland League after a four-wicket defeat of Peterborough Town.

Peterborough made 179 with Jon Carpenter claiming 2-44 and Eaton reached their target with six wickets down thanks to David Humphrey’s 42, Carpenter’s 43 and 31 from Terry Day 31.

In Division Six, Alconbury claimed another hard-fought victory against a strong Market Deeping II side.

The visitors were put in on a fast and bouncy pitch and were soon in trouble against Alconbury’s pace attack with Aaron Magee the pick of the bowlers claiming 5-34 and Dexter Ewing 2-11.

In reply to Deeping’s meagre 99, the home side struggled as pace man Josh Green took 5-33. But the calming influence of Ewing, who was comfortable with the bat for a neat 25 not out, saw Alconbury to a deserved win when they reached 100 for the loss of seven wickets.

CAMBS & HUNTS JUNIOR LEAGUE

A COUPLE of early wickets from Jon Bowland (2-51) put leaders Somersham on top in their Cambs & Hunts Junior Six North match at Fordham III. However, a fine 78 from Thomas Hancock looked to be taking the game away from Somersham with Fordham scoring 156.

Somersham’s response started positively but wickets fell regularly with Pete Coleman top-scoring with 37 and useful contributions from Tom Notarnicola (24) and Ben Austin (23).

Late wickets swung the game in Fordham’s favour, but Darren Jessop (16) and Josh Parker (12) saw Somersham home with 14 balls and two wickets to spare. They have now won all six of their games so far.

Abbots Ripton lost the toss and were put into bat against Pymoor in Division Two North – and it quickly became clear they weren’t in the mood for hanging around.

They hit 250 for the loss of just three wickets off 40 overs with Jerry Hyde (51 off 71 balls not out) and Mohammed Miah reaching 151 not out, hitting 17 sixes and six fours.

In reply, Abbots bowled Pymoor all out for 98 with Scott Walton taking 5-46, Max Sapwell 2-0 and Ricky Masters 2-19. Abbots have won back-to-back promotions and are now finding their feet at this new level, too.