East Anglia Premier League Godmanchester 195 Cambridge Granta 195- 3 ONE of Godmanchester s former star players returned to haunt the side at the weekend, scoring 51 off just 36 balls to seal their defeat. Jacques DuToit, the leading scorer in the EAPL

East Anglia Premier League

Godmanchester 195

Cambridge Granta 195- 3

ONE of Godmanchester's former star players returned to haunt the side at the weekend, scoring 51 off just 36 balls to seal their defeat.

Jacques DuToit, the leading scorer in the EAPL last season, left Godmanchester to move back to Cambridge Granta.

His return to The Parks on Saturday saw him play a leading part in the fourth consecutive defeat of his former side.

Godmanchester had set a target of 195 from 63.2 overs.

But Granta eased their way past the total to win by seven wickets in 42.5 overs.

It was DuToit's sparkling innings which revived a Granta side that was beginning to flag in their run chase.

Earlier Godmanchester had looked on their way to maximum batting points when they stood at 119 for one just after lunch.

However, the customary clatter of falling wickets saw them lose four batsmen in just 14 balls.

From then adding to the score became a difficult task.

The other match-winner for Granta was skipper Jason Coleman, who not only bowled his full quota of 18 overs but also finished on 57 not out.

With half the season completed and only one win so far - in their opening game - Godmanchester must turn results around or be condemned to a relegation fight.

Granta won the toss and invited Godmanchester to bat, and after a series of disappointing early batting collapses, skipper Bevis Moynan shuffled his order.

New opener Craig Park was out for seven, but then Ollie Huggins and Matt Pateman batted sensibly and steadily to add exactly 100 for the second wicket.

Huggins scored his best league score of 56.

The reintroduction of Sean Park to the Granta attack proved decisive for the home side, as Godmanchester collapsed from 119 for one to 123 for five.

Park claimed the wickets of Huggins, Alex Mutucumarana and Nathan Pearce at a cost of just one run.

Matt Davies-Binge was carelessly run out for a duck.

Paul Swannell then joined Pateman, and looked in good form, but when he had reached his season-best league score of 22, he was clean bowled by Park.

Clearly unsettled by the departures, Pateman chased a wide ball and was caught behind for 70.

Only a tenth wicket stand of 18 between skipper Moynan (9no) and David McCallum (9) stretched the total to 194 - six runs short of two extra batting points.

Park had figures of four for 49 and spinner Tom Harvey three for 26.

Paul Wilkinson, Bevis Moynan and Elliott Baldwin bowled tightly to make Granta's progress slow. Moynan and Baldwin claimed a wicket apiece.

At 107 for three after 29 overs, Granta were only just on target, but the entry of DuToit transformed the match.

He scored 51 out of a third-wicket stand of 63 in just 36 balls, going to his half- century with a huge six out of the ground.

The next ball he hit down the throat of Baldwin on the square leg boundary.

Next in, Park was almost as aggressive, finishing with 14 not out off just nine balls.

At the other end Coleman patiently moved to a deserved half-century in the penultimate over.

Moynan's one for 40 in 12 overs was Godmanchester's best with the ball.

A win on Saturday at Fakenham is now a must for Godmanchester.