Cambourne 2nd XI hosted newly formed Little Thetford this weekend. With one eye on the weather forecast it came as a surprise when having won the toss, Thetford chose to bat first under leaden skies.

Skipper Cundell turned to Liam Healy to open the bowling for Cambourne and it soon paid dividends. Healy found consistent line and length and with only 8 runs on the board Thetford’s number 2 slapped a length ball to mid-wicket, where Sgt Matt Casey easily pouched the chance after some educated field placings from Cundell. A galvanised Healy was soon celebrating again as the remaining Thetford opener was castled for a minimal score, leaving the opposition short of both runs and ideas.

Tidy overs from Honey Sarao followed until Cundell turned to ‘old reliable’ Peter Lee. The guile and experience of Lee was swiftly evident. Having the Thetford No3 caught and bowled, he again turned the screw with his subtle changes of pace and when Sarao held a good catch at Mid Off, Lee had claimed his second victim.

With Lee’s tight lines holding one end, Cundell brought on Will Derbyshire. A steady line and length was rewarded with many an edge as the batsman toiled, wafted and waved at the passing crimson orb. This was to be their downfall, as a genuine edge carried to Kiran Ghandi at slip who gleefully grasped a fine catch.

Lee continued to twirl away from the other end like a white-haired Ashley Giles and proceeded to knock back the middle stump twice in consecutive overs for his third successive four wicket haul – would this week be the five-for?

With Thetford seven down and yet to register 50 runs, Cundell threw the ball to Simon Wood whose unorthodox action bamboozled the opposition. Before long the death rattle was heard again, Thetford’s No 8 playing all round a straight one. Wood’s probing length soon brought him further reward when a half block/half cut was superbly snaffled by a diving Liam Healy at silly point. And shortly after their No 10 skied a miss pull high into the air, Honey took a tidy catch to give Wood three-for, a target of 64 and Peter Lee another 7 days wait for that elusive 5 wicket haul.

Cambourne set about their modest run chase with gusto, the opening pairing of Cundell and Healy striking some majestic shots, including a massive jammy top-edge for four from Cundell which set the tone for an early finish. However, Cundell was soon to perish, playing on from a short pitched howitzer from Thetford’s pacy opener. This bought Sarao to the crease, who gracefully stroked the Thetford attack to all parts. One became two as Healy’s off-stump was removed for a respectable and rapid 14 but with only another 15 needed, Casey manfully strode to the middle like the Boycott of old, and nurdled a few singles, offering Sarao the lion’s share of the strike. A massive 6 over long on brought the total within touching distance and some wayward bowling at the death handed Cambourne a well deserved win in a game that was played in excellent spirit throughout.

Special thanks to Danny White, Ollie Vale and the guest from Thetford for umpiring, and the collection of first team lads for their support on the day.

Little Thetford CC - 1st XI

Fall Of Wickets

-1 ; -2 ; -3 ; -4 ;
-5 ; -6 ; -7 ; -8 ;
-9 ; -10 ;

Bowling

2nd XI

Fall Of Wickets

10-1 Chris Cundell (Liam Healy-1*); 42-2 Liam Healy (Honey Kanwar Singh Sarao-13*);
-3 ; -4 ;
-5 ; -6 ;
-7 ; -8 ;
-9 ; -10 ;

Bowling

© The Case