Joy for Ramsey, despair for Market Deeping and Bashrat shines as Peterborough Town complete a league double over the champions
The highs and lows of competitive sport were felt by Ramsey Town and Market Deeping yesterday.
As ‘The Rams’ were celebrating promotion to the prestigious East Anglian Premier Division for the first time in over 20 years, Deeping were getting relegated from the Lincs Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history.
Deeping were founder members of the ECB League in 2000, but a final day 30-run defeat at home to Woodhall Spa, coupled with a win for Spalding at Burghley Park, sent them down to the South Lincs Championship. The Premier Division is reducing from 12 to 10 teams next season so two teams are going down and there will be no promotions.
Ramsey, who secured back-to-back Cambs League titles to qualify for promotion play-offs, sealed their elevation with an exciting 3-wicket win at Norfolk League champions North Runcton yesterday.
The hosts set a competitive 50-over target of 204-7 and Ramsey looked in bother at 158-7 until Ollie Stevens joined Mark Saunders in a match-winning stand of 47. Saunders finished unbeaten on 67 after solid contributions from skipper Taylor West (33) and Ben Saunders (30). Sandun Madushanka (3-44) and Ben Saunders (2-25) returned the best bowling figures for the winners.
According to wikipedia Ramsey last competed at EAPL level in 2002 when they were relegated in their first season in a traditionally powerful competition.
Deeping let Woodhall escape from 37-4 to 271-8 and then slipped themselves from 95-1 to 138-7 before rallying to 241 all out. Sam Jarvis (50) top scored for Deeping with skipper Connor Gillett (46) and in-form Matty Mills (45, 39 balls) also chipping in with useful runs. Mills also took 2 wickets after Lee Peacock and Kester Sainsbury had picked up a couple of early wickets apiece.
Deeping received no help from local rivals Burghley Park yesterday. Park have enjoyed a fine first season at Premier Division level, but with nothing to play for they appeared to reverse their batting and bowling orders against Spalding. Wicket-keeper Pete Foster opened the bowling and actually returned respectable figures, but Jamie Coles (58no) and Ollie Dring (38no) saw Spalding past the home side’s 198 all out with plenty to spare.
Peterborough Town completed a Northants Premier Division double over champions Finedon yesterday to clinch second place, although it was scan consolation for a frustrating season. The city side finished 30 points behind Finedon who secured a 4th straight title and 24 points clear of third-placed Oundle Town who didn’t pick up a single point in their last-day defeat at Geddington.
Town beat Finedon by 65 runs despite posting just 155 all out. Josh Smith predictably top scored with 44 to finish on 1,149 top-flight runs, but veteran Bashrat Hussain stole the man of the match honours with a 5-30 spell as the home side collapsed from 51-0 to 88 all out. Nick Green (4-44) also bowled well.