VETERAN spin bowler Richard Ewing helped Alconbury beat Waresley II on Saturday and now his side are sitting pretty at the top of the Hunts Bats Division One table.

Bowling unchanged, Ewing finished with figures of four for 19 from a magnificent 12 overs to build on the work of openers Gary Cole (two for 20) and Neil Suckling (two for 19).

In the end Waresley were all out for 89 in 44.3 overs and, after losing four quick wickets, a patient and match-winning Alconbury knock of 32 not out by Suckling was rewarded with a five wicket victory which earned them 18 points.

Suckling was acting captain with the regular skipper Dave Cotton watching from the pavilion. Cotton, who tore a calf muscle in their first game of the season, told The Hunts Post: “We started this season with a view that to compete at this level and challenge the bigger clubs we would need to attract a few new players. This has proved difficult.

“We do however have a nucleus of quality players and if we all perform on a weekly basis then we will be a tough team to beat.

“Nobody relishes coming to our ground as it always offers the bowlers something extra and we certainly have a top bowling attack.

“If we can combine picking up wickets with posting 175 or more runs each match then it would stand us in very good stead this year.”

Barnack versus Huntingdon II was cancelled because of a wet outfield.

HUNTS 2

HOUGHTON & Wyton won an exciting game away to Orton Park on Saturday. Houghton scored 186 in their 45 overs with Pete Waughman top scoring with 79.

Orton Park’s reply fell just short when they were bowled out with the last ball of the game for 183 – just three runs short of their total.

After taking the plaudits for his batting performance, Waughman was the stand-out bowler too – taking five wickets for 30 runs. Eben Viljoen hit 20 for Houghton and Michael Piaggesi was not out on a knock of 15.

HUNTS 3

HUNTINGDON II went top of the Hunts Division Three table – with a game in hand already – following a fine win against Upwood.

Upwood, batting first, made169 for nine with Nathan Pond top scoring on 71, while Liam Gaynor was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 47, before going on to make 81 with the bat alongside Andy Reid (48) as they put on a century opening stand. A late flurry of wickets didn’t stop Hunts winning the match by three wickets with 15 overs to spare.

HUNTS 5

THERE was a dramatic game in Division Five of the Hunts League where Huntingdon III got off to a terrible start, stumbling to three for three, before bowling Great Staughton out for just 33!

Great Staughton won the toss and put Huntingdon in to bat and Jimmy Goodland picked up three wickets in minutes.

Captain Nik Kumpukkal top scored with 23 and 13-year-old Ross Puckey hit 13 before they were all out for just 62. Curtis Gallagher’s figures of three for 13 ended up bettering his teammate Goodland’s.

Straightforward for the Great Staughton batsmen then. Not so. Adam Hafiz took two for 12 and Kieran Puckey one for six in six overs, a spell which included a brilliant five maidens.

The brothers Puckey also helped out further with two run-outs. Then Ben George stole the show with some excellent bowling, claiming four wickets for just six runs to destroy the tail end.