CAMBRIDGE Granta continued their hoodoo over Godmanchester Town with victory in the Smith Barry Senior Cup final on Sunday. The result at Goddy s own ground extends Granta s amazing unbeaten run against their hosts to more than 10 meetings. However there

CAMBRIDGE Granta continued their hoodoo over Godmanchester Town with victory in the Smith Barry Senior Cup final on Sunday.

The result at Goddy's own ground extends Granta's amazing unbeaten run against their hosts to more than 10 meetings.

However there was some good news for Town on Saturday; a comprehensive victory over Horsford virtually guaranteeing Goddy a place in the East Anglian Premier League next season.

The Smith Barry Senior Cup final is believed to be the longest cup final match in the country at a mammoth 65 overs per side.

Cambridge captain Jason Coleman won the toss and elected to bat, despite Goddy having bowled Horsford out cheaply the day before.

It seemed history was repeating itself as the home side reduced Granta to 22 for two with openers Elliot Baldwin and Saturday captain Bevis Moynan taking a wicket apiece.

However the introduction of former Godmanchester star Jacques Du Toit swung the match heavily in Granta's favour.

The South African raced to his 50 in just 34 balls as he bludgeoned the Goddy attack. There was no let-up and the punishment continued as Du Toit raced to 124 before being caught on the boundary. Granta's overseas star hit 17 fours and two sixes in less than 90 balls.

Sean Park (46) joined skipper Coleman at the crease and the pair built on Du Toit's good work to guide Granta to a massive total of 342-7.

Coleman was unfortunate to just miss out on his century, being caught behind in the final over for 98 after more than four hours at the crease.

Elliot Baldwin was Godmanchester's top bowler with 3-92 in his 23 overs.

Goddy shrugged off the early loss of Ollie Huggins with teenager Matt Durrant and Adam Cousins adding 57 for the second wicket.

However Sean Park claimed three wickets in quick succession, first removing Cousins then the crucial wickets of Ghaffer Kazmi and Alex Mutucumarana for ducks.

Those wickets effectively ended Goddy's challenge but Durrant and fellow teenager Matt Davies-Binge battled on valiantly to add 107 for the sixth wicket.

Exhaustion finally got the better of Durrant - who had earlier kept wicket for 65 overs - when he holed out on 102.

Davies-Binge scored 68 from 93 balls but there was little resistance from the Godmanchester tail as man-of-the-match Du Toit mopped up three wickets for 32 runs.

Sean Park finished with 3-38 as Godmanchester succumbed to 268 all out, 74 runs short of their target.

Godmanchester captain Alex Mutucumarana said: "Part way through we thought we had a chance but losing two important wickets in three balls was crucial.

"Special mention has to go to Matt Durrant who made his first century for the senior side at 18 years of age. It's a shame we'll lose him to university next year."

The trophy was presented to Cambridge skipper Coleman by Claude Banks, president of Huntingdonshire Cricket Board. It is the first time Granta has lifted the trophy while Du Toit was handed the man-of-the-match award.

The Granta captain said: "We were unsure whether to bat or bowl after seeing the damage Godmanchester had done on Saturday.

"But we decided to back our batters and that paid off in the end after a slow start. Jacques Du Toit's hundred was brilliant and fantastic to watch.

"It was always going to be tough for them chasing a target of 300 plus and when we took two wickets in one over we always looked like winning."

INSIDE: Read a full report on Godmanchester's crucial EAPL victory against Horsford.