Raingods Eaton Socon make it through in the Village Cup thanks to dramatic victory
Eaton Socon's National Village Cup tie with Blackheath needed a bowl-off to decide the winner after a torrential downpour abandoned the contest. Picture: ROBERT ASHWELL - Credit: Archant
Eaton Socon are through to the last 16 of the National Village Cup after a dramatic and stormy clash with Blackheath.
The visitors from Surrey had managed to get through their innings when a storm, described by club chairman Robert Ashwell as “biblical”, hit the Peppercorns Lane ground.
The torrential rain left the outfield saturated and full of puddles and meant a bowl-off was needed in the nets to decide the winner.
Every player sent one ball towards the stump and the final score of 4-1 put the hosts through to another home match on Sunday, this one with Hampshire-based Liphook & Ripsley.
The game against Blackheath had seen home captain Jonathan Carpenter win the toss and opt to field first.
Ethan Rice proved to be the pick of the bowlers with 3-24, two of them coming early on as he removed Rob Parrott and away skipper Peter Melhuish, Carpenter and David Humphrey taking the catches.
William Melhuish (30) and Alan Cope (33) moved the score on from 23-2 to 81-3 but that proved to be the best partnership Blackheath could muster.
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Only Jasper Arengo-Jones and Josh Cummings made it into double figures as the innings came to a close with the final ball of their 40 overs, leaving them 148 all out.
Olly Jeffries took 2-19 and Adam Newman 2-33 while there was a wicket each for Carpenter, Joe Dawborn and Roan Haarhoff.
Wicket-keeper Humphrey added a second catch and a stumping to his personal tally.
Saturday’s game against Foxton fell foul to the weather without a ball being bowled.
A more favourable forecast for the weekend means the club are confident of getting all games played.
The first team are at home to St Ives with the winner going top of the mini league table with two games to go over the bank holiday weekend.
The second team travel to Kimbolton also looking towards play-off action in September.
Their clash at AK on Saturday was washed out after just four overs.