St Ives were the only local team to make a successful start to the Cambs & Hunts Premier League season yesterday.
They launched the Whiting & Partners Division Two season with a 58-run victory against Stamford as relegated and promoted sides did battle.
St Ives suffered the drop from Division One last term but started the new campaign well by piling up 226-6 thanks to smart contributions from former skipper Ricky Greiller (59), Matt Dack (48) and new captain Jack Haycock (45).
Young Michael Speed (3-30) and evergreen Nikhil Kumpukkal (3-39) then impressed with the ball as Stamford – who won the Hunts League Division One title last term – were sent packing for 168.
Hot prospect Jack Ranganathan also chipped in with two wickets when making his senior debut at the age of 13.
Huntingdon & District slumped to a 77-run defeat at the hands of Saffron Walden 2nds.
Navid Ahmed’s men could only limp to 106 when falling well short of the visitors’ effort of 183 at St Peters Road.
New signing Faisal Javed was responsible for almost half of their runs. The opener managed 47 with overseas player Graham Hudson (13) the only other batsman to reach double-figures.
Waqas Mahmud, Javed and Martin Burton took two wickets apiece for Huntingdon & District.
Ramsey were denied a winning start to the Whiting & Partners Division One season by the weather.
Michael Cafferkey’s men appeared to be cruising to glory at Saffron Walden when their opening clash was abandoned.
Veteran bowler Dave Carlaw and debutant Charlie Morrison took three wickets apiece as Ramsey restricted their hosts to 168-9.
Ramsey were 71-0 – with captain Cafferkey (37no) and Jon Cade (21no) – when the action was halted after just 17 overs of their reply.
Waresley fell to a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Histon.
Opener Sam Johnson hit a boundary-laden half-century as the local side reached 189-9. His innings of 51 featured eight fours and a six.
Chetan Chauhan (34) and Gary Cole (33no) also made valuable contributions in the lower order, but Histon eased to victory.
The game came complete with a somewhat controversial finish with Histon still require a dozen runs from the final 15 balls.
The umpires deemed Waresley had taken too long to bowl their overs - even though the innings had been interrupted by a shower - and handed Histon 12 penalty runs which took them to victory.
CAMBS & HUNTS PREMIER LEAGUE
Whiting & Partners Division One
SAFFRON WALDEN versus RAMSEY abandoned
Saffron Walden 168-9 (D. Carlaw 3-13, C. Morrison 3-37).
Ramsey 71-0 (M. Cafferkey 37no).
WARESLEY lost to HISTON by 4 wkts
Waresley 189-6 (S. Johnson 51, C. Chauhan 34, G. Cole 33no).
Histon 190-6.
Whiting & Partners Division Two
HUNTINGDON & DISTRICT lost to SAFFRON WALDEN 2NDS by 77 runs
Saffron Walden 2nds 183.
Huntingdon & District 106 (F. Javed 47).
ST IVES beat STAMFORD by 58 runs
St Ives 226-6 (R. Greiller 59, M. Dack 48, J. Haycock 45).
Stamford 168 (M. Speed 3-30, N. Kumpukkal 3-39).
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