New boy Bishop steers Hunts home

ECB U17 Championship Hunts U17 (299 and 175) bt Cambs U17 (208) on first innings Hunts - 19pts Cambs - 10pts A THIRD victory in successive games left Huntingdonshire sitting proudly atop the ECB Division Three North. This victory against neighbours Cambr

ECB U17 Championship

Hunts U17 (299 and 175) bt Cambs U17 (208) on first innings

Hunts - 19pts Cambs - 10pts

A THIRD victory in successive games left Huntingdonshire sitting proudly atop the ECB Division Three North.

This victory against neighbours Cambridgeshire at St Ives leaves Hunts in pole position to clinch one of the two promotion spots available at the end of the season.

Man of the match for the home side was 15-year-old newcomer Tom Bishop, making his debut at U17 level, who posted a first innings 50 and the best bowling figures as his side skittled out the visitors 91 runs short.

Alex Mitchell also posted a half century in the first innings, while Wayne Bradley reached the milestone in the second innings.

The home side won the all-important toss and opted to bat first.

Ben Clement fell early but consistency soon paid off with the next nine batsmen all recording double figures.

Michael Cafferkey (22) and Alex Mitchell (55) added 52 for the second wicket before Tom Bishop joined Mitchell to feature in a third wicket stand of 75.

Bishop showed no nerves as he raced to 58 in just 56 balls before Wayne Bradley, James Markland and Steve Brooks all chipped in to see Hunts finish on 299.

Cambridgeshire's Freddie Clamp returned the best figures for his side, finishing with 3-52.

The Hunts pace bowlers took two early wickets in the Cambs reply, but batsman Alex Hooley shared in a 76 partnership with skipper Adam Dellar for the third wicket.

Off-spinner Bradley soon put an end to Hooley's innings of 65 and fellow spinner Tom Bishop accounted for Dellar (54).

A mid-innings collapse saw Cambs fall to 157-7 from 151-4, though a gritty 16 from Adam Webester did carry them past the 200 mark.

Of the Hunts bowlers, Bishop took 3-32 and there were two wickets apiece for Amar Hussain, Mohammed Qadeer and Wayne Bradley.

With 31 overs left on the final afternoon, Hunts went in search of further batting points in cavalier style.

Clement (42) and Cafferkey (30) entertained the crowd with 69 in just 12 overs before four batsmen were caught in the deep and the visitors dismissed the home side for 175 to claim four bowling points.

Visiting bowlers Webster (5-61) and Freddie Clamp (4-65) were the leading wicket-takers.

Hunts now go into their last two matches, away at Lincolnshire and at home to Norfolk, knowing one win from two should clinch promotion.