EASTON chairman Fred Mitchell is hoping the club can use Sunday’s MSC Suffolk Alliance Cup success as the springboard to avoid relegation.

Easton made home advantage count as they beat holders St Margaret’s by 31 runs in the final at Bentries Meadow.

Defending a total of 187, Easton’s Athul Sarangan returned figures of 8-0-23-6 as St Margaret’s were bowled out for 156 in their reply.

His victims included opposing skipper Paul Allen, whose 69, including nine fours, posed the only real threat to Easton lifting the cup for the third time, after victories in 2002 and 2005.

After winning the toss and losing John Todd cheaply, Easton’s top-order batsmen built a winning platform.

Opener Richard Croney made 40 and No.3 Sam Bennett-King top-scored with 62 laced with ten fours and one six.

Captain Jolyon Kimmerling added 42 as Easton were dismissed in 39.3 overs, Jordan Beaumont being the most successful bowler with four for 34.

Kimmerling struck early on in the Saints reply and took two for 21, but Sarangan was the star of the show and picked up the man-of-the-match award.

Mitchell said: “We looked like we were going to get 230, but lost four wickets to run outs.

“Paul Allen looked like he was going to win the match for St Margaret’s before he was brilliantly caught on the long-on boundary by Sam Bennett-King.

“The game was played in a cracking spirit and the umpires should be congratulated for playing their part.”

Easton are currently bottom of Section A and Mitchell said: “We use our Sunday side to try to blood our younger players in Senior cricket, and we had four 15-year-olds playing on Sunday.

“Without a doubt we will be looking to use this as a springboard to stay up.”

The Plate final will be between Needham Market and Southwold.

Neil Place claimed 8-1-24-3 as Caribbeans were bowled out for 92, before Needham slipped to 56 for five in reply.

However, Jordan Dye (25 not out) and Andy Hill (14 not out) ensured there were no more butterflies with an unbroken sixth-wicket stand worth 37 to see them home.

A partnership of 109 for the second wicket between opener Tim Porter (41) and Ryan Moore (60) saw Southwold record a seven-wicket win over Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians.

Opener Jack Green, whose 81 featured 11 fours, underpinned Woodbridge & OWs innings before he was ninth man out.

Liam Smith took three for 21 and Sam Booker three for 30 as they were bowled out for 139 – a total which Southwold overhauled in the 31st over of their reply.

A Darren Batch century led Sudbury to a 33-run win against Woolpit in Division One of the Hunts County Bats League.

Craig Estlea also reached three figures and together with Graham Ford, who ended 78 not out, added 150 for the second wicket as Worlington piled up 313 for three as they crushed Walsham-le-Willows by 146 runs.

James Murray made 150 and Jason Smithers made 80 not out as Thurston rattled up 273 for one in a 61-run success against Cavendish Wanderers in Division Three.

Hunts County Bats Suffolk League

Division One

*Sudbury I 233 for 6 (D Batch 110, N Poole 48). Woolpit 200 (W Parker 61no, G Brown 36, C Thomas 4 for 39). Sudbury (20pts) bt Woolpit (8pts) by 33 runs.

Worlington III 313 for 3 (C Estlea 111, G Ford 78no, T Osbourn 53, J Watson 36no). *Walsham-le-Willows 177 for 9 (S Stevenson 66, N Twiddy 3 for 37, C Manels 3 for 37). Worlington III (20pts) bt Walsham-le-Willows (5pts) by 146 runs.

Division Two

Edwarstone 130 for 1 (M Gooderham 57). *Exning 129. Edwardstone (20pts) bt Exning (2pts) by 9 wkts.

*Rougham 204 for 8 (A Dellar 49). Brettenham 154 (J Swift 52). Rougham (20pts) bt Brettenham (7pts) by 50 runs.

*Lavenham 41. Hadleigh I 219 for 9. Hadleigh I (20pts) bt Lavenham (4pts) by 178 runs.

*Mellis 152 for 1. Stowmarket 151. Mellis (20pts) bt Stowmarket (3pts) by 9 wkts.

*Lakenheath II 178 for 9. Brockley II 123. Lakenheath II (20pts) bt Brockley II (5pts) by 55 runs.

Division Three

Withersfield 116 for 8. *BSSSC 120 for 1 (M Moye 51, J Raylor 34). BSSSC (20pts) bt Withersfield (1pts) by 9 wkts.

*Tuddenham 232 for 5 (Harris 110, Bacon 45). Bardwell 219 for 8 (Wakeman 54, Larder 44). Tuddenham (20pts) bt Bardwell (7pts) by 13 runs.

Earl Stonham II 206 for 5 (C Macrow 93). *Hartest & Coldham 66 (S High 5 for 28, P Storer 3 for 31). Earl Stonham II (20pts) bt Hartest & Coldham (2pts) by 140 runs.

*Nowton II 201 for 3 (C Heaps 77no, D Reynolds 65no, K Howes 3 for 38). Haverhill 182 for 8 (M Wilkins 48). Nowton II (20pts) bt Haverhill II (5pts) by 19 runs.

*Thurston 273 for 1 (J Murray 150no, J Smithers 80no, A Bendall 32). Cavendish Wanderers 212 for 9 (F Jack 56, M Skelton 37no, A Bendall 4 for 38). Thurston (20pts) bt Cavendish Wanderers (5pts) by 61 runs.

Division Four

Mildenhall II 135 for 3. *Horringer 134. Mildenhall II (20pts) bt Horringer (3pts) by 7 wkts.

*Long Melford 148 for 8. Bury St Edmunds II 151 for 7. Bury St Edmunds II (20pts) bt Long Melford (5pts) by 3 wkts.

Nowton Academy 158 for 6 (D Hill 85). Elveden 159 for 5. Elveden (20pts) bt Nowton Academy (5pts) by 5 wkts.

Tendring Park 204 for 8 (M Willingham 124, R Woolston 46). *Battisford II 107 (R Woolston 5 for 14). Tendring Park (20pts) bt Battisford II (5pts) by 97 runs.

Sudbury II 70 (A Clark 4 for 17, S Lewis 3 for 18). *Gt Cornard 71 for 4 (D Hills 46, A Macdiarmid 3 for 16). Gt Cornard (20pts) bt Sudbury II (2pts) by 6 wkts.

Division Five

*Acton 99 for 2 ( N Wright 73no). Rougham II 95. Acton (20pts) bt Rougham II (1pt) by 8 wkts.

*Risby 112 for 8. Elmswell 111. Risby (20pts) bt Elmswell (5pts) by 2 wkts.

*Milden 171 for 9 (Dakers 37, Ferguson 30). Stowupland 157 (D Long 75, Cunningham 4 for 19). Milden (20pts) bt Stowupland (7pts) by 14 runs.

Mellis II conceded to *Hadleigh Academy due to lack of players.

MSC Suffolk Alliance League

Cup Final.

Easton Sunday XI 187 (S Bennett-King 62, J Kimmerling 42, R Croney 40, J Beaumont 4 for 34) St Margaret’s 156 (P Allen 69, A Storey 23, A Sarangan 6 for 23 for 6). Easton won by 31 runs.

Plate Semi Finals

*Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians III 139 (J Green 81, L Smith 3 for 21, S Booker 3 for 30). Southwold 142 for 3 (R Moore 60, T Porter 41). Southwold won by 7 wkts.

Caribbeans 92 (P Denness 26, N Place 24 for 3). *Needham Market 93 for 5 (J Dye 25no, J Whyte 3 for 34). Needham Market won by 5 wkts.

Section B

*Castle 149 for 7 (D Adams 55, M Gilderson 37, G Felgate 21, L J Smith 4 for 21). Stradbroke A 150 for 2 (A Barker 68, M Wise 56no). Stradbroke A (17pts) bt Castle (4pts) by 8 wkts.

Section D

*Coddenham & Grundisburgh 120 for 8. Saxmundham Sports II 122 for 5. Saxmundham Sports II (16pts) bt Coddenham & Grundisburgh (4pts) by 5 wkts.

Freston 140 for 4 (G Stiff 42no, M Hardman 31). *Felixstowe & Corinthian Youth B 103 for 9. Freston (17pts) bt Felixstowe & Corinthian Youth B (4pts) by 37 runs.

*Kesgrave Sunday II 156 (S Dixey 39no, JLing 38, B Granham 4 for 54, C Leggett 3 for 21). DBSL 91 for 8 (N Howlett 31, M Phair 26, R Jennings 4 for 25). Kesgrave II (19pts) bt DBSL (6pts) by 65 runs.

*Denotes home team.