Wisbech Town’s play-off hopes strengthened with five-wicket win

Wisbech Town strengthened their Cambs & Hunts Premier League Division One play-off hopes with a five-wicket win at home to Cambridge St Giles on Saturday.

The side immediately above them in the table won the toss and decided to bat but soon found themselves at 34-2, George Gowler taking the wickets of both openers.

Although several batsmen had decent knocks, the home attack would not let meaningful partnerships develop and the visitors ended up 198-9 from their 50 overs, with Gowler returning figures of 3-39 from ten, Gary Freear 3-38 from nine and Ryan Clark 2-51 from ten.

In reply, Wisbech won with eight balls to spare, reaching 200-5 from 48.4 overs. Pick of the batters was wicket keeper Josh Bowers who came in with the score at 32-1 and steered his team to victory with an unbeaten 80 from 133 balls that included eight fours. Openers Danny Haynes and Freear got 35 and 21 respectively, Clark 37 and Jamie Seabrook 13.

Wisbech now sit in sixth position with two home games remaining, against Sawston and Babraham this Saturday and leaders Ramsey next weekend.

March Town have finished rock bottom of Division Two, losing their final game of the season by 207 runs at promoted Upwood, who elected to bat and scored 310-4 from their 50 overs. Samuel Clarke, Josh Fisher, Shae Pooley and Kian Pooley shared the wickets.

In reply, March were skittled out for 103 from 28.3 overs, Fisher their top scorer with 23, Joseph Clark 14 not out, captain Brandon Phillips and Shae Pooley both 12 and Clarke 11.

Wisbech Town 2nd are relegated from Senior League One after a final-day defeat by 101 runs at Fulbourn Institute. The home side were put into bat and scored 185 all out from 44.2 overs before the visitors collapsed to 84 all out from 21.4 overs.

Chatteris finish sixth in Senior Two after a 34-run win at Cambridge St Giles 2nd. After electing to bat, the visitors registered 215-7 from 45 overs, captain Ben Hollis hitting eight fours in his 64. Fellow opener Steve Bishop scored 46 in an opening stand of 115, Peter Munns scored an undefeated 50 and Anthony Bamford 12.

The home side were then bowled out for 181 from 41.3 overs, Jamie Long taking 2-14 from eight balls, Bamford 2-32 from nine, Billy Munns 2-33 from nine, James Wood 2-49 from nine and a wicket each for Shimron Thomas and Peter Munns.

Wisbech Town 3rd finish in the CCA Senior Three North relegation places after a 59-run home defeat to Hemingford Park, who were asked to bat and scored 230 all out from 37.3 overs. Mark Buttriss was the pick of the bowlers with 3-28 from 5.3 overs, Oliver Overland took 3-39 from eight and there was a wicket each for Amber Crossley-King, Karthic Sivakumar and Matt Duff.

In reply, Wisbech were 171 all out from 30.4 overs, Sivakumar top scoring with 64, Buttriss and Duff both scoring 18, wicket keeper Robert Williams 15 and Gavin Plume 12.

Wimblington finish the season fourth in Junior Four North, losing their final game by 50 runs at Wilburton 2nd. The home side scored 177-8 from 40 overs after being put into bat before the visitors were dismissed for 127 from 29 overs.

In the same division, Chatteris 2nd narrowly avoid relegation after beating bottom side Cottenham 2nd by 208 runs. After electing to bat, Chatteris scored an imposing 304-5 from their 40 overs, captain Oliver Tilbrook hitting 19 fours in his unbeaten 131, wicket keeping opener Oli Bailey finding the boundary 14 times in his 80, Luke Arnold scoring 18 and Harley Edmonds 14.

In reply, the visitors made 96 all out from their 31 overs, Edmonds taking 2-10 from five, Andrew Wool 2-16 from six and a wicket each for Jago Pearson, David Cadwallender, Noah Wool and Tilbrook.

Wisbech Town 4th finish third from bottom of Five North after a final-day 59-run defeat at Over and Willingham 2nd, who scored just 110-7 from their 40 overs after being asked to bat. Richard Cable took 2-13 from eight and Oscar Smithee, Alfie Jagger, Jay Modhvadia and Ethan Wells took a wicket each.

The visitors’ reply was disastrous, however, with six ducks in their 51 all out from 21.4 overs., 25 of those runs coming from Samuel Booty and 15 from extras.

Bottom of the table are March Town 3rd who lost their final game of the season by 92 runs at home to Burwell and Exning 4th, who won the toss and batted first, scoring 226-5 from their 40 overs. Ed Albutt took 2-43 from eight and there was a wicket each for Erin Brook, Kai Stoner and Mark Deas.

In reply, March made 134-8 from their 40 overs, captain Deas top-scoring with an undefeated 39, Albutt making 23, Brook 19 and Oliver Arrowsmith 15.