Freear leads the way for Wisbech
Wisbech Town are third in the Cambs League after an eight-wicket success over St Ives Town & Warboys thanks to Gary Freear managing an innings more suited to the new Hundred tournament on Saturday.
Freear’s lightning-fast 97 at a strike-rate of 138-plus enabled them to beat the weather as well as the visitors during another rain-affected weekend.
St Ives posted 204-8 in 50 overs: George Gowler bagged 2-52, Josh Porter 1-21, Anthony Palmer 1-35, Freear 1-47 and Joe Dunning a tight 2-24.
But Wisbech raced to 207-2 in just 30 overs. Freear occupied 70 balls and hammered 17 fours and a ‘’maximum”.
He and Danny Haynes (54) raised 153 for the first wicket while Sam Albutt added an undefeated 36 off just 19 balls to seal a 35-point victory.
CCA Junior League 1 North basement side Wisbech 3rds lost by one wicket at Chippenham, who are the team above them.
Wisbech made a useful 191-3 in 40 overs. Dom Stannard struck 31, Thomas Hoyle 60, Brad Williams 33, Tom Buck not out 37 and Brodie Ellis not out 12.
Chippenham totalled 193-9 with eight balls to spare. Ellis bagged 3-37, Jack Woollard 1-20, Buck 1-24, Matt Duff 1-30 and Stannard 2-28.
Wisbech Town 4ths defeated their Burwell & Exning counterparts by 107 runs.
Wisbech posted 239-9 in 40 overs: Kieran Haynes fashioned 37, Harry Sidgewick 61, Elliott Peck 34, George Purell 30 and Finlay Murdoch 22.
Burwell & Exning 4ths were shot out for 132 in 36 overs. Tom Freear captured 2-13, Ryan Van Waterschoot 2-24, Henry Plume 1-32, Murdoch 1-26 and Colin Freear 2-5.
Sixth-spot March Town in Whitings Cambs League Division 1 lost to Cambridge St. Giles after being set a revised target of 125 from 25 overs.
St. Giles had racked up 277-6 in 50 overs, boosted by Zaheer Hussain’s rapid 102.
Wicket-takers were Phoenix Nightingale 1-60, Ross Clarke 3-93 and Andrew Wright 2-60, while Samuel Clarke (0-29) and Saranga Rajaguru (0-27) kept things tight in ten-over stints
March made 99-3: Saranga Rajaguru blazed 66 out of the first 88 runs. The overseas all-rounder struck seven fours and five sixes off just 61 balls. Sam Thain put a brake on, with 2-2 in four overs, by having Rajaguru caught. Udana Ranathunga added 12 not out.
March 2nds are third in CCA Senior League Division 1 after beating Abington by 12 runs.
March set 170-9 in 45 overs with Lewis Welcher compiling 14, Tommy Howgego 26, Nigel Wright 17, David Haslegrave 27, Tyler Phillips not out 40 and Oliver Mann 12.
Abington collapsed from 73-1 and 145-6 to be dismissed for 158 from 44.4 overs. Shae Pooley took 2-27, Tommy Howgego 1-29, James Harradine 1-18, all off full nine-over allocations, while Kian Pooley bagged 3-39 and Matthew Vail cleaned up the tail with 3-9.
Lewis Welcher and Tyler Phillips pouched two catches each.
CCA Junior League 4 North leaders March 3rds dispatched visitors Hemingford Park by seven wickets.
They skittled Hemingford for 117 in 34.3 overs. Dan Waltham returned 1-32, Sam Mason 2-33, Ben Chapman an impressive 7-4-14-4 and Joseph Taylor Clark 2-3.
March cruised to 118-3 in the 27th over thanks to unbeaten bats Nathan Oliver (45) and Chapman (44). Jamie Chapman chipped-in with 12.
The previous Monday, March Town defeated a Liverpool University Staff touring side by five wickets.
Liverpool Uni reached 153 all out in 41.3 overs with Shae Pooley bagging 2-6. March replied on 156-5 in the 35th over with Saranga Rajaguru top-scoring on an unbeaten 53. He and Benjamin Pyle (48) made a vital stand of 84 after the hosts were 52-4.
Wisbech Town’s pace-setting Rutland League side won by six runs at third-position Barnack in a 28-overs-per-side game on Sunday.
Wisbech set 167-7: Gary Freear made 19, Jonny Garner 69, Rhys Howell 29 and Ross Gardner not out 13.
Barnack replied with 161-7. Shahzad Amir (76 off 66 balls) threatened to win it for the hosts but was bowled by Brodie Ellis (3-23). Other wicket-takers were Josh Porter 2-35 and George Gowler 2-33.
Wisbech are 34 points ahead of second-spot Peterborough Town in Division 1.
Of March’s Sunday games, the 1st XI one at City CC was called-off while the 2nds conceded theirs at CSKA.
SATURDAY FIXTURES
Whiting & Partners Cambs/Hunts League Division 1, noon: March Town v Eaton Socon, Histon v Wisbech Town.
Division 3, 12.30pm: Wisbech 2nds v Orton Park.
CCA Senior League Division 1, 1pm: Needingworth v Chatteris, Royston v March 2nds.
CCA Junior League 1 North, 1.30pm: Wisbech 3rds v Sutton.
CCA Junior League 3 North, 1.30pm: Chatteris 2nds v Bluntisham 2nds.
South Lincs & Border League, 1pm, Premier Division: Skegness v Long Sutton. Division Two: Long Sutton 2nds v Spalding 3rds.
SUNDAY FIXTURES
Rutland League, all 12.30pm, Division 1: March T v Market Deeping, Burghley Park v Wisbech T. Division 4 East: Long Sutton 2nds v Moulton Harrox.
Fenland Trophy, 1pm, Ernie Wool Cup: March 2nds v Ramsey, St Ives T & Warboys v Wisbech 3rds.
