CRICKET ROUND UP HUNTINGDON CC 1st XI started their league campaign with a comprehensive win against Alconbury on Saturday. Alconbury skipper Gary Cole invited Huntingdon to bat and the visitors wasted no time in getting runs on the board. Scoring steadi

CRICKET ROUND UP

HUNTINGDON CC 1st XI started their league campaign with a comprehensive win against Alconbury on Saturday. Alconbury skipper Gary Cole invited Huntingdon to bat and the visitors wasted no time in getting runs on the board. Scoring steadily at over five runs per over from the start, the final total of 253-6 owed a good deal to Yasir Shafiq (67) and Nomi Khan (54) and always looked like a match-winning score.

Alconbury's off-spin bowler Richard Ewing (3-61) gave the visitors the majority of the problems on a good batting wicket.

The home side replied positively as Ewing (46) and Paul Suckling (35) set about the Huntingdon bowling attack but after the fall of the first wicket on the introduction of Humza Rachid (1-28) the runs slowed down. Rachid continued with twelve miserly overs as the Alconbury innings stuttered to a respectable 186-4.

Huntingdonshire Cricket League Secretary and Alconbury opener Richard Ewing commented after the match: "Huntingdon looked a very good team and they certainly have the quality and potential to push for honours this season."

ST IVES CC

SAINTS 1st XI recorded a fine 138-run win in the Cambs Senior 1 at Barrington. Tom Beale (39) led the way in a total of 177-8. Barrington had no answer to Bevis Moynan and Ollie King, who took five and three wickets respectively and crashed to 39 all out.

Ives 2nd XI fell to defeat at home to Fordham by 5 wickets. Michael Hunt (85*) was the mainstay in the home side's total of 183-5 but Fordham reached the target with overs and wickets to spare. Ollie Buncombe (56) contributed to Ives 3rd XI's score of 141 all out but poor fielding allowed visitors Witcham to get home with four wickets in hand.

In the Fenland trophy St Ives eased home by 55 runs against Wisbech. Kevin Sequenza (37) saw his team to 202-8 then Andy Waters (3-37) left Wisbech reeling at 147 all out.

GODMANCHESTER CC

GODMANCHESTER'S home EAPL match against Fakenham ended in a six wicket defeat after the home side suffered an early batting collapse.

David McCallum (52) held the middle order together to notch his maiden league half century but few others made a score in the final total of 152 all out. Two early wickets for Paul Swannell lifted spirits but Fakenham settled in and reached the target with few scares.

On Sunday an under par performance saw Godmanchester exit the ECB national Club Championship at the first hurdle. 192-9 was a reasonable total for an inexperienced side but Loughborough squeezed home with two overs and four wickets to spare. Wayne Bradley (59) and James Cowan (37) contributed well to the Godmanchester total.

WARBOYS CC

WARBOYS 1st XI entertained AKA CC in the Hunts County league and took a six wicket win from the game. AKA fell for 141 in 39 overs and the home side took few chances to reach 142-6 in 42 overs.

The Fenland Trophy team visited Doddington and saw the home side cruise to 285-3 despite Alex Grange (3-54). In reply Grange (48) again showed his class but the team were restricted to 181-8. The 3rd XI visited Upwood in Hunts 5 and soon had the home side back in the pavilion for just 93, Will England (5-15) starring with the ball.

Warboys, with Robert Whitfield (31*) in form, reached the total in just 24 overs.

The 2nd XI despatched Ramsey 3rd XI by six wickets as Dan Wright (4-12) got to work. It was then Sam Latchford (37*) who steered the side home.

Warboys 3rd XI entertained Dean II in Hunts 5 and restricted the visitors to 127-7 headed by Robert Chitty (47). Warboys reached their target in gathering gloom with Chris Hoy, Peter Ames, and Ben Duncan (all 25) seeing them home to 128-7

WARESLEY CC

TUCKER League One side Waresley met Khalsa with Chris Asque (48) and Phil Masdin (43) helping them to 171 all out. Khalsa reached the total despite Nigel Buckingham-Jones (3-37) in 44 overs.

In Hunts 2 Eaton Socon were the visitors and they ran into an in-form Peter Colebrook (5-42) falling for a miserable 96. Simon Donald (51*) made sure of an early finish as Waresley II cruised home with eight wickets to spare.

Waresley dismissed Pavenham & Felmersham for 165 after Jim Keys (5-30) had dismantled the middle order. Tom Russell (102*) and Simon Donald (45*) saw Waresley to the target in just 22 overs.

EATON SOCON CC

12-YEAR-OLD spinner Tommy Burns (4-10) delivered the killer blow for Eaton Socon in their game against Burton Latimer. Socon had amassed 270-2 thanks to James Storey (102*), Bob Nicklin (64) and George Richards (62*) before Latimer fell for 73.

HUNTINGDON CC

PHIL Wright (142*) proved the right man for the job as Huntingdon 2nd XI rattled up a match winning 284-4 against Newborough 2nd XI. Ben George (37) was also in form before bowlers Stuart Staite (3-25) and Adrian Rose (3-29) ripped apart the Newborough batting.

RAMSEY CC

Ramsey's Tucker league opponents Camden looked beaten at 130 all out after good bowling spells by Alistair Crothers (3-18) Michael Kay (3-26). Ramsey's reply stuttered and staggered to 132-8 with only Damien Clarke (39) showing any real form.

In Rutland 3 Ramsey and Nassington were involved in a classic that the visitors won by just two runs. Nassington batted first and reached 185-9 with Crothers (4-43) again in the wickets. Ramsey fell just short despite Crothers (63*) starring with the bat.

FENSTANTON CC

FENSTANTON took on Over II in the Cambs Junior 3A but failed to build on a good start. Andy Taylor (62) and Mick Curtis (31) scored well but eight of the remaining nine batsmen failed to reach double figures as Fenstanton were dismissed for 156. Over paced the reply well and reached 157-7 with no bowler dominating.

BLUNTISHAM CC

BLUNTISHAM continued their fine early season form with another good win this time at the expense of Fordham. Put into bat, Fordham had few answers to the bowling skill of Graham Park (5-28) and Howard Matheson (3-31) and struggled to post 129 all out. Bluntisham's reply saw them lose five wickets before they got home with Paul Bigger (31*) and Darren Fordham (29) the mainstays.

COUNTY FRIENDLY

HUNTINGDONSHIRE opened their senior season with a match against Northants 2nd XI at St Ives CC. In what was a more than useful workout for both sets of players Northants proved the stronger after positive batting had taken them to 243-9 from their allotted 50 overs. Hunts young spinner James Sykes (3-30) returned excellent figures from his ten overs. In reply David Clarke (71) got the innings off to a solid start but wickets fell all too often after a good start and the innings folded for 189 with still five overs remaining.

COUNTY YOUTH

HUNTINGDONSHIRE U14 visited Sudbury to play Suffolk and performed well, eventually going down by just 16 runs. Suffolk posted a respectable 226-8 from 46 overs and Hunts closed on 210-7 in reply. Leading the batting was Marcus Howard (48) and Josh Bowers (38) the latter having collected four stumpings in the match.

CLUB YOUTH ROUND UP

NEEDINGWORTH U15 batted first against Elsworth and scored 149 with Josh Stimson (61) heading the batting stats. Elsworth crept in with two overs to spare and four wickets in hand despite the sterling effort of Jack Prime (4-40).

OTHER RESULTS

Hunts Leagues

Gt Staughton 79 lost to Alconbury II 80-1; Orton Park II 75-3 bt Hilton 73; Bharat 117-3 bt Upwood II 115-9; Sawtry III 69 lost to Buckden II 106-8; Newborough 228-8 bt Upwood 136; Sawtry 140 lost to Old Eastonians 141-4; Burghley Park 158-9 bt Dean 152; Godmanchester III 208-6 bt Ramsey II 165; Nassington 155 lost to Buckden 158-4; Houghton & Wyton 305-8 bt Ickwell II 195-9.