CAMBS LEAGUE CRICKET: Norman's conquest, classy Craig brothers, marvellous Mutabaki

Nassington delivered the performance of the day (April 23) in Cambs Division One as they saw off Ketton by 118 runs in a high-scoring contest.
Conor Craig smacked 97 from 57 balls for Nassington against Ketton.Conor Craig smacked 97 from 57 balls for Nassington against Ketton.
Conor Craig smacked 97 from 57 balls for Nassington against Ketton.

Nassington’s batting track was much criticised last season, but lots of hard close-season work has paid off as over 600 runs were scored in 100 overs.

And the home side blasted their way to 365-6 in their 50 overs without the services of Minor Counties man Dan Robinson who is nursing a football injury.

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Tom Norman topped the batting charts with a terrific ton - his first at this level - but Conor Craig topped the entertainment bill with a cracking innings of 97 from just 56 balls.

Michael Cafferkey struck 51 for Ramsey against Waresley.Michael Cafferkey struck 51 for Ramsey against Waresley.
Michael Cafferkey struck 51 for Ramsey against Waresley.

Craig hit five sixes and 11 fours, while Norman struck five sixes and four fours. The pair added 134 for the fourth wicket after Nassington openers Alex Laud (32) and James Pope (27) had put on 78 for the first wicket. Ketton were left to rue missing the chance to dismiss both of the top scorers before they went into overdrive.

The Cambs League is a straight win/lose competition this season so Ketton had no option to chase hard and they made a pretty good fist of it before being dismissed for 247. Opener Josh Gallimore contributed 64 before Zeeshan Manzoor blsted four sixes in his debut 63. Harrison Craig, younger brother of Conor, returned bowling figures of 4-37 with Pope claiming 4-57.

Expected title contenders Ramsey and Wisbech also won well after making big totals.

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Ramsey’s 250 was built around last year’s skipper Taylor West’s 73 and this summer’s captain Michael Cafferkey (51) and Waresley’s reply was wrecked by seamer Mark Edwards (5-29) and new signing Kasim Ikhlaq (3-14). The home side closed on 121-9.

Michael Cafferkey struck 51 for Ramsey against Waresley.Michael Cafferkey struck 51 for Ramsey against Waresley.
Michael Cafferkey struck 51 for Ramsey against Waresley.

Wisbech Town’s Aussie Jack Hargreaves cracked 51 on his Cambs League debut to help the Fenmen up to 230-8, but the star of their show was young Silas Mutubaki, a medium pacer who hadn’t taken a Division One wicket until he picked up five today for the cost of just 21 runs as Foxton slumped from 70-3 to 84 all out. Prolific wicket-taking off-spinner Gary Freear weighed in with 3-4.

In Division Two March and Newborough were both victorious, but Cambs League debutants Ufford Park were well beaten at home to Fordham despite a fine all-round display from Tanvir Hussain.

Hussain’s bowling figures of 2-19 were the best by an Ufford player as the visitors piled up 209-7. And he followed that up with a superb unbeaten knock of 87 in Ufford’s 165.

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March recovered from 50-5 to 198 all out to set up a 30-run win over Sawston, while Newborough were always in control of their match at home to St Ives, eventually emerging winners by 66 runs.

Toby Nulty (56), batting at number eight, added 50 for the ninth wicket with Andrew Wright, while James Harradine’s 46 was also crucial. Ant Palmer and Aussie import each claimed three wickets in Sawston’s 168.

Matt Cawley (45) led a consistent batting effort as Newborough posted 203 all out. Vamshi Parvatheneni, captain Ali Greenwood and Andy Dair all took three wickets in St Ives’ 137.

RESULTS

Division One

NASSINGTON beat KETTON by 118 runs

Nassington 365-6 (T. Norman 101, C. Craig 97, A, Bandarabaike 40, A. Laud 32, J. Pope 27, W. Compton 3-65).

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Ketton 247 (J. Gallimore 64, Z. Manzoor 63, S. Mahmood 34, P. Rowe 28, H. Craig 4-37, J. Pope 4-57).

WARESLEY lost to RAMSEY by 129 runs

Ramsey 250 (T. West 73, M. Cafferkey 51, B. Mills 38, E. Cafferkey 35, C. Chauhan 3-23, A. Watkiss 3-65).

Waresley 121-9 (A, Scully 34, I. Donald 33, M. Edwards 5-29, K. Ikhlaq 3-14).

WISBECH beat FOXTON by 144 runs

Wisbech 230-8 (J. Hargreaves 51, J. Gollands 40, J. Bowers 33, P. Edgeller 22, J. Esser 21, D. Fagan 3-28).

Foxton 84 (A. Webster 35, S. Mutubaki 5-21, G. Freear 3-5).

Division Two

MARCH beat SAWSTON by 30 runs

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March 198 (T. Nulty 56, J. Harradine 42, A. Wright 21no, M. Smith 3-37).

Sawston 168 (M. Pearson 78, A. Palmer 3-24, S. Freedman 3-47).

NEWBOROUGH beat ST IVES by 66 runs

Newborough 203 (M. Cawley 45, D. Cooper 38, J. Malton 27).

St Ives 137 (V. Parvatheneni 3-16, A. Greenwood 3-16, A. Dair 3-24)

UFFORD PARK lost to FORDHAM by 44 runs

Fordham 209-7 (T. Hussain 2-19, W. Javed 2-41).

Ufford Park 165 (T, Hussain 87no).

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