CAMBS LEAGUE: Stamford are off the mark, Ufford Park are setting the pace, Castor cruise, Ramsey rampant, Wisbech and March are well beaten

The Hunts Division One champions wanted to make Uffington Road the proverbial fortress as they embarked on a Division Two campaign at a higher level and they made a good start yesterday (May 5) with a 53-run win over fellow newcomers Thriplow.

Chris Bore’s 45 did most to push Stamford up to 167-9 before a steady all-round bowling display restricted their visitors to just 114 in reply. Chris Birch, Simon Prentice and Scott Chamberlain each picked up two wickets.

Ufford Park are setting the pace with Blunham at this level with two wins from two completed games. Yesterday they despatched Huntingdon by 85 runs away from home.

Captain Ross Keymer (63) was again in the runs hitting his second successive half century and adding useful runs for the second wicket with Andy Larkin (39) as Ufford posted 195-8 from their 50 overs.

Six different bowlers then took Huntingdon wickets led by Wahid Javed who claimed 4-21 from just 33 balls as the home slumped to 114 all out.

Castor were also Division Two winners as they returned from St Ives with a most impressive nine-wicket win under their belts.

Youngsters Stuart Dockerill (4-15), Aiden Steels (46no) and Cameron Dockerill (24no) starred as Castor raced to victory after rushing St Ives out for a paltry 85.

In Division One March Town felt the full force of a powerful Eaton Socon as they crashed to a 148-run defeat in their first outing of the campaign, while title fancies Wisbech are 0-2 after losing by six wickets at home to Saffron Walden.

Josh Bowers (56no) and Gary Freear (51) looked to have given Wisbech a competitive score of 184-6, but they failed to kick on from 121-1.

And Walden were always in control thanks to a ton from high-class opener James Rushford. Three wickets for Wian Pretorius arrived too late to make a difference.

March were at one point 45-7 chasing 278-5 at Socon before a an eight-wicket stand of 60 betwewen Ben Chapman and Spencer Saberton saved some face.

Ramsey crushed Waresley by 91 runs at Cricketfield Lane.

Jordan Cafferkey (85) top scored in a consistent batting display as Ramsey piled up 274-8. Jake Towerton provided an exploisve late innings of 45 from 40 balls which included four sixes.

Michael Cafferkey (4-57) was the most successful Ramsey bowler as Waresley were kept down to 183-9, but there was another miserly display from veteran David Carlaw who returned figures of 2-11 from 10 overs.

Carlaw’s figures for the Division One season so far read 20-9-24-5.

RESULTS

Division One

EATON SOCON beat MARCH by 148 runs

Eaton Socon 278-5 (J. Carpenter 101, M. Pateman 54, S, Rajaganu 3-59).

March 130 (B. Chapman 45, S. Saberton 26, J. Dawborn 4-21).

RAMSEY beat WARESLEY by 91 runs

Ramsey 274-8 (J. Cafferkey 85, J. Towerton 45, M. Cafferkey 36, J. Cade 35, T. West 27, J. Keys 3-49).

Waresley 183-9 (C. Lewis 38, M. Cafferkey 4-57, D. Carlaw 2-11).

WISBECH lost to SAFFRON WALDEN by 6 wkts

Wisbech 184-6 (J. Bowers 56no, G. Freear 51, D. Haynes 30).

Saffron Walden 187-4 (J. Rushford 106no, W. Pretorius 3-20).

Division Two

HUNTINGDON lost to UFFORD PARK by 81 runs

Ufford Park 195-8 (R. Keymer 63, A. Larkin 39, J. Harrington 24no, N. Ahmed 3-34, H. Hudson 3-47).

Huntingdon 114 (F. Javed 24, W. Javed 4-21)

STAMFORD beat THRIPLOW by 53 runs

Stamford 167-9 (C. Bore 45, S. Chamberlain 29no, L. Dave 23).

Thriplow 114 (F. Preston 64no, S. Prentice 2-15, C. Birch 2-19, S. Chamberlain 2-20).

ST IVES lost to CASTOR by 9 wkts

St Ives 85 (S. Dockerill 4-15).

Castor 87-1 (A. Steels 46no, C. Dockerill 24no).