Action from around the Huntingdonshire cricket scene from the past week

CCA JUNIOR LEAGUE

FENSTANTON came off second best in a relegation thriller at NCI Cambridge and remain winless and bottom of Division 3B.

It was a better pill to swallow for Fenny, who were powerless to stop their opponents achieving their 49-run win from the penultimate ball of the contest with the last-wicket pair at the crease.

The day had started badly with a last-minute withdrawal leaving Fenny a man short, but skipper Mike Piaggesi’s 65 – his fourth half-century in five knocks – got them through to157-8 from their 40 overs.

In reply, NCI had been reduced to 47-5 at one stage but managed to sneak over the line with one wicket in hand.

TUCKER PREMIER

GODMANCHESTER TOWN’S hopes of promotion back to the East Anglian Premier League were dealt another blow on Saturday after they were beaten by four wickets in a rain-affected match at Division One leaders March Town.

The visitors, batting first, were disappointingly skittled out for just 74 in 26.3 overs with only three Goddy batman reaching double figures.

March did lose wickets, with Chethan William (3-15) doing his best with the ball, but the hosts got to their winning target for the loss of six wickets before the rain returned – and was a result that leaves Goddy lagging behind in sixth.

Elsewhere, rejuvenated reigning champions Camden were two-wicket winners over Ramsey to leapfrog their opponents into second.

The weather dictated conditions with Ramsey, who had been put into bat, bowled out for a meagre 79.

In what was a bowler-dominated match, Camden scraped together the 80 runs they needed, but were given a fright having been 57-2 at one stage as Mark Edwards (3-16) and David Carlaw (2-7) nearly swung the game back in Ramsey’s favour.

St Ives are now sitting in fifth after their home game with third-bottom Sawston was abandoned after 25.3 overs with the visitors stumbling on 49-4, as Bevis Moynan picked up three early wickets.

In Division Two, only 19 overs were bowled in Godmanchester Town seconds’ home game with Fordham before rain forced it to be abandoned – the hosts were at the crease on 54-5 and, as a result, they remain in the bottom two.

Waresley are only eight points behind leaders Castor & Ailsworth after their six-wicket win over Abington.

The visitors batted first and put 174-9 on the board in 48 overs, Terry Hayden taking 4-66.

Then more rain meant Waresley’s target was reduced to 146 in 40 overs and, thanks to Ashwin Reddy’s unbeaten 76, they reached their target with six wickets still intact.

HUNTS COUNTY LEAGUE

EATON SOCON suffered a three-wicket defeat at home against Alconbury in Division One on Saturday.

Batting first, the hosts recovered from a perilous position of 65-7 to post 141-8, thanks to 39 not out from Asama Weerasekara.

And, despite three wickets apiece for Glen Daniels (3-28) and Dom Marchant (3-42), Alconbury reached their target for the loss of seven wickets, Ryan Tyler top scoring with 43.

Eaton Socon seconds continue to set the pace at the top of Division Three after their 24-run victory over Peterborough Town thirds.

In what was a relatively low-scoring game, Eaton made 144 with wicket-keeper batsman Simon Cooper top scoring with 39 not out.

Then Chris Dickerson and Cheethan Shetty starred with the ball, taking three wickets apiece, as Peterborough were bowled out for 120 in reply.

Warboys seconds’ home game against Buckden in Division Three was abandoned due to rain.

Having been put into bat Paul Brading (53no) had top scored for the visitors, who were on 140-4 when the weather halted proceedings on 40.5 overs.

In Division Four, Brampton went down to a 49-run loss at the hands of Werrington.

On a day disrupted by rain forcing a reduction in overs, the Brampton bowlers found it hard to find their rhythm and their footing.

The Werrington batsmen didn’t always have it their own way, but decent knocks from Ali Khalid (74no) and James Savage (78) pushed their total to 242-7 from 40 overs.

Brampton made a push at the high total with another solid performance at the top of the order from Andy Canham (76).

But they couldn’t keep up with the required run rate and were eventually bowled out for 193 from 38 overs, Zafar Iqbal collecting 4-30.

Not even a century from Elan Anish (122) could prevent Little Paxton from a three-wicket home defeat against Huntingdon thirds in Division Five.

Anish scored almost half of his side’s runs in Paxton’s challenging total of 246 but it didn’t prove quite enough, as the visitors got home for the loss of only seven wickets.

Half centuries from Nathan Pond (52) and Zubair Maqsood (67no) saw them through.

Warboys thirds went down to a crushing 185-run defeat at the hands of Shia Sports.

Shia were bowled out for 260 in 40 overs, Samuel Vallance taking 5-52, but only four visiting batsmen got into double figures in reply, as they were skittled out for 75.

A huge 207-run victory was earned by Eaton Socon’s development side over Upwood seconds.

Ben Reedman (73) and Joe Donnelly (50) stood out in Eaton’s 261-7 before Upwood were then bowled out for 54, with youngster Joe Taylor taking 5-11.

RUTLAND LEAGUE

A STUNNING six-wicket haul from Ryan Worboys (6-32) helped inspire Eaton Socon seconds to a four-wicket victory over Newborough seconds in Division Six.

Worboys heroics helped restrict Newborough to 135 before Socon reached their target for the loss of six wickets thanks to Ryan Brown (36) and Terry Day (25 not out).

Elsewhere, Alconbury made hard work of defeating Hampton. Having limited the home side to 92 all out after some fine bowling from Dexter Ewing – who bagged a four wicket haul – the visitors struggled with the bat, but got home by two wickets, John Payne top scoring with 25.

COUNTY CRICKET

A MAGNIFICENT performance by Huntingdonshire’s batsmen saw them reach a winning target of 243 to beat the visiting Army side by seven wickets with more than 16 overs to spare at Ickwell in their annual friendly fixture last Wednesday.

It was the county’s third victory in four matches this season and came courtesy of a thrilling century from Alan Burton (102) with supporting half centuries from Michael Cafferkey (53) and Chethan William (57no).

Almost 500 runs came in a very entertaining match with a large number of the runs coming in boundaries.

The Army ended their 50 overs on 242-9, William recording excellent figures of 4-31 before Hunts got home only three wickets down.

YOUTH CRICKET

A MAJOR batting collapse cost Alconbury U13s glory against Peterborough Town in the final of the ECB County Cup.

Chasing 133 to win, ACC looked set for a real upset on 65-2, but a flurry of wickets saw them all out for 82, losing by 52 runs.

At U15 level, Warboys made it through to their county cup final with a six-wicket win in their 20-over semi-final at Needingworth.

James Wright was their standout performer, claiming 3-5 in four overs with the ball to help restrict Needingworth to 68-8 and the finished unbeaten on 30 as Warboys reached their target with 11 balls to spare.