TUCKER GARDNER LEAGUE: Taylor ensures Ramsey’s Division One title hopes don’t go West while St Ives claim a quick slice of revenge to stay on course for Division Two glory

Mark Plummer

Published: 8:20 AM July 17, 2016 Updated: 4:28 PM November 1, 2020

Taylor West, pictured batting, starred with the ball for Ramsey in their victory at bottom side Blunham. - Credit: Archant

Ramsey survived a scare to close in on the Tucker Gardner League Division One summit yesterday.

Michael Cafferkey’s men mis-fired with the bat as they were dismissed for just 135 at bottom side Blunham.

It was a below-par score which put them in a vulnerable position in Bedfordshire, but it ended up proving enough to earn a 29-run victory.

Taylor West tormented the home side with 5-24 to remove them for 106 while Cafferkey and Mark Edwards both snared a couple of victims.

Ramsey remain in second spot, but have now closed to within two points of a table-topping Foxton side they face at the end of the month.

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Reigning champions Godmanchester are up to third place after Tariq Aziz inspired a fine success for the second Saturday running.

The leading Tucker Gardner League run-scorer fell two runs short of a fourth century of the season as his side eased to a six-wicket victory at Saffron Walden.

Aziz’s 98 and an unbeaten 72 from Jarryd Phillips ensured Godmanchester surpassed the hosts’ offering of 198.

Aziz had earlier taken 4-31 while captain Paul Swannell and Elliott Baldwin bagged a couple of wickets apiece.

Waresley bounced back to winning ways at the first attempt.

Skipper Tom Griffiths hit a half-century in a seven-wicket triumph against Burwell 2nds.

Their spinners had been in good form again earlier with Nigel Buckingham-Jones (3-12) and Rob Lowin (3-34) helping to remove the visitors for 137.

Eaton Socon’s nosedive continued as they crashed by nine wickets at Wisbech.

It was a fourth successive defeat for Jonny Carpenter’s side who are currently short of runs and wickets.

Captain Carpenter (46) and Matt Pateman (42) fell just short of half-centuries, but only one other Eaton Socon batsman managed to reach double-figures as they were dismissed for 162.

It was a total hosts Wisbech eased past with almost 18 overs to spare.

St Ives remain on course for the Division Two title after exacting a quick slice of revenge.

Ryan Withers’ men recorded a 29-run success against Fordham yesterday to make amends for a one-wicket loss at the hands of the same opposition the previous weekend.

Tom McCarthy took 4-45 as the table-toppers removed their visitors for 179. Jack Haycock finished the job with a direct hit run-out.

McCarthy had earlier hit 35 while Richard Greiller top-scored with 66 as St Ives managed 206-9.

Kimbolton were five-wicket winners as they also avenged a loss to the same team in their previous fixture, but there was no joy for Huntingdon & District.

Martin Burton’s side remain in the relegation zone after suffering a sixth successive defeat - reaching only 122 in pursuit of their hosts’ 134 at Cambridge Granta 2nds.

Faisal Javed put together a well-made 68 for the locals, but they lost their last five wickets for just 17 runs to see a golden chance of claiming a much-needed victory slip from their grasp.

TUCKER GARDNER LEAGUE

Division One

BLUNHAM lost to RAMSEY by 29 runs

Ramsey 135 (M. Cafferkey 31).

Blunham 106 (T. West 5-24).

SAFFRON WALDEN lost to GODMANCHESTER by 6 wkts

Saffron Walden 198 (T. Aziz 4-31).

Godmanchester 200-4 (T. Aziz 98, J. Phillips 71no).

WARESLEY beat BURWELL 2NDS by 7 wkts

Burwell 2nds 137 (N. Buckingham-Jones 3-12, R. Lowin 3-34).

Waresley 141-3 (T. Griffiths 54, N. Taylor 31).

WISBECH beat EATON SOCON by 9 wkts