Eaton Socon swept to the top of the Cambs & Hunts Premier League for the first time yesterday – as a former title-winning skipper starred with a century.
Opener Matt Pateman hit a high-class 106 in a 127-run rout of Godmanchester Town, the club he guided to Whiting & Partners Division One glory back in 2015.
It was Pateman’s first ton since returning to local club Eaton Socon two seasons ago and formed part of a 193-run opening stand with his skipper Jonny Carpenter, who fell four runs short of a century of his own.
Their considerable partnership provided the bulk of Eaton Socon’s imposing 277-4 and the hosts never looked like troubling that total in reply as pace ace Joe Dawborn claimed 4-33, skipper Carpenter collected 3-24 and Ben Gowling took the scalp of top-scoring Town opener Amit Gupta for 41.
Adam Cousins was left unbeaten on 37 when Dawborn claimed the ninth and final wicket with Town man James Cowan not batting.
Eaton Socon sit 23 points clear of second-placed Foxton, who thumped Ramsey by 185 runs yesterday. The local side suffered a big batting collapse in that clash after seeing their hosts pile up a mighty 325-3.
Veteran seamer Dave Carlaw took all three Foxton wickets before unbeaten centurions Craig Park (106) and Yannick Elliott (103) put the Ramsey bowlers to the sword, adding an unbroken 193 for the fourth wicket.
Opener Charlie Morrison (71) was responsible for more than half of Ramsey’s effort in reply as their final seven wickets fell for just 16 runs as they slumped from 124-3 to 140 all out.
Jordan Cafferkey (31), who featured in a 51-run opening stand with Morrison, was the only other Ramsey batsman to make any progress of note.
Previous leaders Saffron Walden, who were without a game yesterday, dropped to third place with Godmanchester now fourth and 32 points off the pace of their Saturday conquerors.
Local teams occupy the bottom two positions in the standings.
Kimbolton remain at the foot of the table after their wait for a victory continued despite a best batting display of the campaign.
They amassed 222-6 against Histon - with Sam Malton hitting a smart 74no - but still went down by 67 runs after the visitors were dismissed for 289. Lee Ingram took 3-50.
Waresley dropped to second-bottom following a four-wicket home defeat at the hands of in-form Wisbech.
Dan Cummins, who set a new club record individual score of 219no at second-team level the previous weekend, top-scored with a rather more modest 30 as Waresley were removed for 141 before the away side eased to victory.
Phil Gillett and Ashwin Reddy grabbed a couple of wickets apiece but couldn’t prevent Wisbech being comfortable winners.
Huntingdon & District were knocked off the top of Whiting & Partners Division Two after seeing their five-match winning streak come to an end yesterday.
Navid Ahmed’s men dropped to third position after being well beaten at Stamford. They could only reach 153 in pursuit of the home side’s posting of 283-9.
St Ives are one place behind their fellow locals after extending their own fine run of form yesterday.
Jack Haycock’s side claimed a third successive victory – they’re now unbeaten in five games - when beating bottom side Great Shelford by 86 runs.
Haycock (36) and Matthew Wells (34) were the highest contributors to a solid display with the bat as St Ives reached 194-8 before Kevin Sequenza and Nick Kumpukkal both took two wickets as the lowly visitors were sent packing for 108.
CAMBS & HUNTS PREMIER LEAGUE
Whiting & Partners Division One
FOXTON beat RAMSEY by 185 runs
Foxton 325-3 (D. Carlaw 3-49).
Ramsey 140 (C. Morrison 71).
GODMANCHESTER TOWN lost to EATON SOCON by 127 runs
Eaton Socon 277-4 (M. Pateman 106, J. Carpenter 96).
Godmanchester Tn 150 (A. Gupta 41, A. Cousins 37no, J. Dawborn 4-33, J. Carpenter 3-24).
KIMBOLTON lost to HISTON by 67 runs
Histon 289 (L. Ingram 3-50).
Kimbolton 222-6 (S. Malton 74no).
WARESLEY lost to WISBECH by 4 wkts
Waresley 141 (D. Cummins 30).
Wisbech 143-6.
Whiting & Partners Division Two
STAMFORD beat HUNTINGDON & DISTRICT by 130 runs
Stamford 283-9.
Huntingdon & District 150.
ST IVES beat GREAT SHELFORD by 86 runs
St Ives 194-8 (J. Haycock 36, M. Wells 35).
Great Shelford 108.
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