ST IVES II matched their first XI by taking over at the top of Cambs 2A with another workmanlike win on Saturday.

ST IVES

ST IVES II matched their first XI by taking over at the top of Cambs 2A with another workmanlike win on Saturday.

Opponents Little Downham batted first but Nathan Edwards (2-17) quickly removed both openers. Matt Dack (3-40) then got in on the act to take out three middle-order batsmen and the spin of Kevin Sequenza (2-44) dispatched another pair as Downham tumbled to 160-8.

Ives gauged their reply to perfection, reaching 162-4 with three overs to spare.

Sequenza (41) and James Biddle (29) set the standard from the start with a good opening partnership. Grant �Biddle (33*) and Neil Ewart (24) then provided the backbone in the middle of the innings to see Ives home.

In Tucker 2, St Ives I laboured to a win over Babraham to stay top of the tree.

St Ives I bowlers made Babraham struggle after a steady opening stand had been broken, and the Babraham middle order was left in disarray as Bevis Moynan (4-43) and Rob Setchell (3-49) ripped the heart out of the batting. The final total of 143 all out looked within reach for Ives, but Babraham’s bowlers gave them early trouble.

Ives were reduced to a miserable 40-5 but were rescued by Ryan Withers (59*) and Will Lygo (30*), who rebuilt the damage to take the points at 144-5.

Ives IV scored a respectable 158-8 but failed to prevent Wimblington from charging to 162-4 in their game in Cambs 5.

BRAMPTON

CHRIS Atkin (4-14) dominated with the ball in Brampton’s straightforward win over Buckden II in Hunts Division 5.

Keeper Ron Primavera snapped up four catches as Buckden scratched just 105 all out, with only Joss Sadd (32) and Tom Chester (28) offering resistance.

Brampton opening pair, Ian Purser (63*) and Andy Pegram (39*) then raced to the target in just 15 overs.

ALCONBURY

RICHARD Willcock compiled a fine unbeaten century to prove high-flying Alconbury are not totally reliant on their bowlers as they chase the Hunts Division One title.

Willcock (122*) batted through the innings at Dean and with Jonathan Payne (42) helped Alconbury close on 231-4.

Dean had little to offer in reply with Luke Barnett (55) holding the innings together and offering up nearly half of their 113 all out. Shaun Hubbard (3-23) proved once again that experience counts and Neil Suckling, Richard King and Alex Blake grabbed two wickets apiece.

WARBOYS

WARBOYS cruised past Buckden in the Smith Barry Cup, reaching 154-2 in just 27 overs.

Earlier Buckden had struggled to 153-7, the run-out of Steve Cox (39) not helping the cause of quick runs against a keen Warboys fielding side.

Daniel Wright (57*), Ryan Humphrey (35) and Alex Grange (33*) rushed Warboys into the semi-finals.

In Hunts 2, Blunham II were beaten by two wickets by Warboys II in a tight game. Sam Latchford and Matt Lavender took three wickets apiece but Blunham still managed a respectable 189-9. Mid-order batsmen Charles Smith (39) and Ben Duncan (32) edged Witches to the total but it was Lavender (17*) that took them to 190-8.

Warboys II batted soundly to score 185 all out in Rutland 7 but Benefield squeezed home with nine balls to spare at 187-4.

Warboys III won by 57 runs in an evening friendly against neighbours Upwood. Sam Latchford (52) and Martin Croucher (51) helped the Witches to total 179-4 from 20 overs. Sam Frost (51) sent a chill through the Witches but he got little support and the Upwood reply melted away to 122-6.

In Hunts 5, Little Paxton brushed aside Warboys III as Rob Worrall (5-26) hit line and length to dismiss Warboys for 67 in less than 19 overs. Warboys fought back to take six wickets but failed to prevent the inevitable as Paxton reached 70-6 inside 17 overs.

WARESLEY

CHRIS Whitfield starred with both bat and ball for Waresley at Weston Colville in Tucker 2 match on Saturday.

Weston batted first but struggled against an accurate attack led by Whitfield (4-32). With Nigel Buckingham-Jones and Terry Hayden taking three wickets each Weston were restricted to 184 all out. The loss of two early wickets set the Waresley reply back but the middle order rallied, as Whitfield (40), Phil Masdin (36) and Paul Field (34) took Waresley to 188-8 with overs to spare.

Steve Hooley (74*) took the Warboys bowling attack to task in Hunts I and with Simon Blows (57) and a late flurry from Ben Evans (36*), Waresley II’s 246-5 looked like a match-winning total.

Openers Daniel Wright and Ryan Humphrey both hit 27 and moved things in the right direction but the silky skills of Pat Ellerbeck (4-30) saw that the Witches were denied short at 156 all out.

YELLING

A BELOW-par 164-8 was all Longstanton could only manage against a penetrative Yelling attack.

Aaron Johnson took three wickets for Yelling, and was ably assisted by Dominic Walker (4-45). Yelling replied in style with Rob Smith (77*) and Bryan Topham (44) rushing the team past the post at 165-2 with overs to spare.

FENSTANTON

UNDERSTRENGTH Fenstanton struggled to restrict Cambourne II in their Cambs 4 encounter.

Batting first, Cambourne posted a solid target of 235-7 with Brett Logue taking three wickets. Fenstanton’s reply spiralled down to 66-7 before Logue (58*) took up the cause with the bat to help the tail wag to 135 all out.

RAMSEY

NICK Page bowled Ramsey II to a massive win in Hunts II against a poor Burghley Park side.

Page (6-28) took out the whole of the top order as Burghley folded to 82 all out in their pursuit of the Ramsey total of 250-4. Earlier, John Wells (74) and Elliott Smith (54) had put together an opening stand of 118 and Adam Taylor (52*) made sure of the match-winning total.

GODMANCHESTER

PAUL Swannell’s men extended their unbeaten run to six games with a crushing win over Wisbech in the Cambs Premier League on Saturday.

Wisbech, who had beaten an out of sorts Godmanchester at the start of the season, elected to bat first but their final total of 179 all out never looked enough.

The Wisbech batsmen were kept in check by Swannell (3-55), and two wickets apiece for James Cowan and Trent Pascoe, and four catches by Michael Cafferkey.

Godmanchester’s batsmen showed little respect for the bowling as they raced to 183-3 in just 36 overs. Cafferkey (41) and Wayne Bradley (35*) were among the five batsmen that scored well on the day.

Godmanchester II conceded 51 extras to lose a Tucker 2game they must have thought they had won at the tea interval.

Adrian Lemmon (138*) and James Howell (81) had hammered a weary Ickwell attack as Godmanchester totalled 271-3. But thoughts of an easy win vanished as Ickwell, led by openers Milin Ghandi (65) and Tom Heard (72), took the bowling to task.

Elliott Baldwin took four wickets but at a costly 86 runs and with a half century of extras Ickwell steamed home to 272-7.

BLUNTISHAM

BLUNTISHAM fell to an eight wicket defeat on a small fast-scoring ground at Barnack in Tucker 2.

Few batsmen reached a sizable score with only Darren Fordham (37) and Howard Mathson (35) putting any pressure on the bowlers and fielders as Bluntisham registered 150 all out.

Barnack then hammered the visiting attack into submission, taking less than 20 overs to rattle up 152-2 for the points.

HOUGHTON & WYTON

HUNTS 3 leaders Houghton & Wyton continued in their rich vein of form when they travelled to Ickwell II and recorded a resounding 95-run win.

Batting first after winning the toss, captain Steve Jeffs (123) proved what a good decision it was to put on 202 with Mike Hudson (45) for the first wicket. Houghton’s final total of 269-6 looked defendable, and though Ickwell put up a fight, they struggled to cope with Chris Mastin (6-36) and were all out for 174.

JUNIOR RESULTS

U13

Warboys 166-4 (Jordan Cafferkey 50*, James Wright 53*) beat Ramsey 74 all out by 92 runs.

Needingworth 165-5 (Tom McCarthy 50*) beat Houghton 65 all out (Tyler Elstub 5-3) by 100 runs.