Copdock one win from promotion

But skipper Chris Swallow warned: “We’ve now won 15 in a row but that won’t count for a lot if we don’t win the next one, too.”

That is at Ramsey on Saturday when they face the Cambs & Hunts Premier League champions with the winners earning their place in the EAPL next summer.

Copdock swept aside Coggeshall by seven wickets to finish ahead of Mildenhall in the Two Counties, then won by 56 runs after a solid batting display in the EAPL play-off semi-final at Fakenham on Sunday.

“The guys were absolutely outstanding. I said I’d be happy with 200 to 225 so to get 285 was well above par.”

Adrian Nel was pushed up to open and his 89 provided the foundation for a big total. Jed Cawkwell added 65 plus 20s from Swallow, Hugh Thomas and Tom Jenkin.

Fakenham were bidding for a quick return to the EAPL after being relegated in 2010 but their required rate kept rising despite a couple of good partnerships.

“We knew that as the rate kept climbing they would be more likely to make mistakes, and that’s what happened,” said Swallow, who picked up five for 36 himself as the home team were dismissed for 229.

Nel took two wickets, Jenkin one for 35 in 10 and James and John East both claimed a wicket, too.

So now it’s all about making it 16 wins in a row on Saturday. “I’ve no idea about Ramsey, but if we do win we will have earned promotion the hard way as we have had to play all the play-offs away from home,” said Swallow.

“Fakenham praised us for our professionalism, which was a real bonus for me as I hope that’s something I’ve brought to the club.

“I wanted to set the standards by arriving early and having a proper warm-up. The senior players, particularly the East brothers, bought into that and have taken it on board and, I think, have played better cricket as a result.

“The commitment of the players has been fantastic, and team spirit has been great and we’ve also had good fun.”

Copdock had won the Two Counties in 2009 and declined the chance of promotion. Swallow now feels that decision has been vindicated.

“We felt it was too soon for the kids but now they are a little bit older and a little bit better players they will be able to cope better.

“The club has really grown with 160 kids in the section and we owe it to the club and the area to be competitive in the EAPL.

“Now we have to hope for good weather and another performance like Sunday’s. We haven’t lost a game since May, and there is no doubt that winning becomes a habit.”

Swallow has even started to think about the consequences of bad weather. If Saturday is washed out, the game will be held on Sunday – but if that, took falls victim of the weather there will be a bowl-out.

And Copdock have been having a little practice. “We have a coffee ball competition,” revealed Swallow. “All the players bowl at the stumps and those who miss buy the coffees.”

That could just give them the edge if they can remove some of the tension by reproducing that fun element if the entire season comes down to bowling at an undefended set of stumps.

Worlington have enjoyed a terrific season, winning both the Division Three and Division Nine titles.

Their First XI finished in style, bowling visitors Felixstowe out for just 96 with Dave Stannard grabbing five for five. Tom Osborn (51 not out) and Craig Estlea (47 not out) then knocked off the runs in seven overs for a 10-wicket win.

Long Melford also won two titles, Division Four and Seven, although their First XI were on the wrong end of a 10-wicket defeat at home to Exning II on Saturday.

Elmstead Grasshoppers earned two promotions, from Divisions Two and Six while Mildenhall were triple runners-up, in Divisions One, Three and Seven – and their Third XI were third in Division Five.

The highest recorded score on Saturday was Peter Woods’ 105 not out to lead Exning II to victory at Long Melford.

The biggest win in terms of runs was 239 by Great Bromley against Brightlingsea II, who dropped down from Division Five after one season.

Nowton beat West Bergholt by eight wickets but were still one point adrift of Worlington II at the top of Division Nine.

The two former Suffolk Premier League teams were, unsurprisingly, promoted: while 2010 champions Needham Market went up to Division Four – and survived – runners-up Nowton were in Division Nine.

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship

Division One

Haverhill 201 (S Webb 53, S Youngs 41, A Dellar 26, C Silverwood 20, D Baigent 5 for 59). *Exning 203 for 6 (T Catley 63, R Grove 31, D Atkinson 31, C Lomas 23). Exning (20) bt Haverhill (8) by 4 wkts.

*Frinton 217 for 6 (M Armstrong 53, C Herath 52, R Stockdale 32, J Baker 23no, T Stubbs 22). Ipswich 34 for 1 (off 4.1 overs: J Rusby 23no). Match abandoned, rain. Frinton 11pts, Ipswich 9.

Wivenhoe 192 for 9 (B Godleman 101, O Morgan 37). *Mildenhall 195 for 1 (T Westley 71, B Shepperson 65no, A Reynolds 52no). Mildenhall (19) bt Wivenhoe (4) by 9 wkts.

*Woolpit 222 for 9 (C Rutterford 70, D Crame 69, M Collinge 41, D Goff 3 for 32). Mistley 199 for 9 (K Young 38, H Parkes 32, K Robb 31, J Manning 28, S Barlow 21, A Starling 4 for 33, J Allan 3 for 37). Woolpit (19) bt Mistley (8) by 23 runs.

Maldon 317 for 4. *Abberton 92. Maldon (20) bt Abberton (2) by 225 runs.

Coggeshall 116 (B Ovenstone 36, W Blackwell 27, C Swallow 4 for 37, A Nel 3 for 23). *Copdock & OIs 117 for 3 (A Nel 45, A Gravell 31). Copdock (20) bt Coggeshall (2) by 7 wkts.

Division Two

Ipswich & East Suffolk 239 (D Leach 69, H Hazelwood 44, P Budd 33, M Sproats 20, B Golds 4 for 61). *Braintree 242 for 6 (D Chalk 82, R Vickery 52, G Eveling 30, R Ainsley 25, C Leech 21, H Hazelwood 3 for 24). Braintree (20) bt IES (7) by 4 wkts.

Lakenheath 258 for 7 (S Leech 71, G Palmer 40, D Reynolds 38, O Wade 33, J Barry 5 for 59). *Brightlingsea 32 for 1 (off 7.2 overs, K Rodrigo 23). Match abandoned, rain. Brightlingsea 9pts, Lakenheath 11.

*Elmstead Grasshoppers 216 for 7 (J Butcher 111, M Perrin 54, L Facey 4 for 34). Witham 154 (J Suett 38, G Taylor 25, R Green 23, D White 5 for 61). Elmstead (20) bt Witham (6) by 62 runs.

*Brockley 176. East Bergholt 119. Brockley (20) bt East Bergholt (6) by 57 runs.

Woodbridge & OWs 243 for 5. *Dunmow 209 for 9. Woodbridge (19) bt Dunmow (7) by 34 runs.

Easton 193 for 8. *Hadleigh 196 for 3. Hadleigh (19) bt Easton (5) by 7 wkts.

Division Three

Sudbury II 244 for 8 (P Siegert 52, P Harris 40, K Moulton Day 39, C Thomas 25, O Carr 24, R Dhaliwal 3 for 52, M Comber 3 for 70). *Clacton II 247 for 8 (M Fowler 95no, R Dhaliwal 73, C Thomas 3 for 33, A Simmons 3 for 58). Clacton II (19) bt Sudbury II (9) by 2 wkts.

Stowmarket 203 for 8 (M Gill 45, D Penney 33, C Sirimanne 28, K Holland 27). *Copford 208 for 9 (P Geddis 41, A Reid 35, P Kligerman 30, K Sargeant 24no, B Rawson 21, C Sirimanne 3 for 31). Copford (19) bt Stowmarket (8) by 1 wkt.

Bury St Edmunds II 152 (H Rynsard Perry 72, C Roper 5 for 33, P Cooper 3 for 39). *Halstead II 153 for 4 (J Rose 93no). Halstead II (20) bt Bury II (5) by 6 wkts.

Felixstowe 96 (A Hopkins 38, D Stannard 5 for 5). *Worlington 99 for 0 (T Osborn 51no, C Estlea 47no). Worlington (20) bt Felixstowe (0) by 10 wkts.

Mildenhall II 229 for 8. *Coggeshall II 173 for 9. Mildenhall II (19) bt Coggeshall II (7) by 56 runs.

Little Bardfield Village 204. *Kelvedon & Feering 128. Lt Bardfield (20) bt Kelvedon (7) by 76 runs.

Division Four

*Ipswich II 205 for 7 (R Gibson 51, P Culley 43no, J Greig 31no, S Gibson 26, G Underwood 3 for 38). Copdock & OIs II 209 for 2 (A Baker 82no, T Allerton 68). Copdock II (18) bt Ipswich II (6) by 8 wkts.

*Ipswich & ES II 96 (T Debenham 38, M Lincoln 4 for 35, S Patil 3 for 12). Yoxford 97 for 5 (J Percival 38no). Yoxford (20) bt IES II (2) by 5 wkts.

*Long Melford 176 for 8 (25 overs: N Wright 69, G Boon 41, B Byford 27, H Walters 23). Exning II 179 for 0 (P Woods 105no, S Readman 54no). Exning II (19) bt Long Melford (4) by 10 wkts.

*Mistley II 184 for 9 (D Goff 61, T Parker 4 for 48). Woolpit II 137 (A Stewart 63, B Leeke 6 for 55). Mistley II (20) bt Woolpit II (6) by 47 runs.

*Needham Market 202 for 8 (R Hill 77, S Mortimer 25, K Folkard 22, B Tampion 3 for 26). Hadleigh II 169 (I Thoroughgood 43, R Checketts 37, N Abdul 33, G Paton 24, A Burgess 4 for 22, J Dye 3 for 47). Needham Market (20) bt Hadleigh II (7) by 33 runs.

*Wivenhoe II 175. St Margarets 67 for 1, match abandoned. Wivenhoe II 10pts, St Margarets 11.

Division Five

Kelvedon & Feering II 150 (M Wilde 34, J King 31, J King 22, T Potter 20, L Parish 5 for 31, J Durkin 3 for 29). *Earls Colne 153 for 3 (D Brooker 55no, J Durkin 48no, D Grice 22). Earls Colne (20) bt Kelvedon II (4) by 7 wkts.

Harwich & Dovercourt 204 for 4 (W Poole 61no, G Moors 60, A Bilton 36). *Mildenhall III 205 for 7 (J Moore 65, J Beaumont 61, J Taylor 35, C Semple 4 for 56). Mildenhall III (17) bt Harwich (8) by 3 wkts.

Frinton II 237. *Bury St. Edmunds III 51. Frinton II (20) bt Bury III (5) by 186 runs.

*Great Bromley 303 for 8. Brightlingsea II 64. Gt Bromley (20) bt Brightlingsea II (4) by 239 runs.

Maldon II (20) received a walk-over from Abberton II (0).

*Witham II (20) received a walk-over from Boxted (0).

Division Seven

East Bergholt II 192 for 8. *Felixstowe II 193 for 3. Felixstowe II (19) bt East Bergholt II (5) by 7 wkts.

Division Nine

West Bergholt 130 (R Jayakumar 29, I Jeeva 27, J Walker 4 for 34, L Kretzmann 3 for 16). *Nowton 136 for 2 (M Ainsley 45no, S Danson 36, L Kretzmann 29no, K Howes 20). Nowton (20) bt W Bergholt (3) by 8 wkts.

Bury St Edmunds IV 147 for 8. *Elveden 148 for 2. Elveden (19) bt Bury St. Edmunds IV (3) by 8 wkts.

*Sudbourne Hall 94. Woodbridge & OWs II 95 for 0. Woodbridge II (20) bt Sudbourne Hall (0) by 10 wkts.

Division C

Frinton v Copdock & OIs, no result received.

Division C Cup final

Mistley 157 for 8. *Coggeshall 158 for 3. Coggeshall won by 7 wkts.

Ladies’ Challenge

Battisford (0) conceded to Ipswich (20).

Ladies’ T-20

Maldon 91 for 7. *Mistley 95 for 4. Mistley (18) bt Maldon (6) by 6 wkts.