AN AMAZING innings of 236 by Craig Estlea was the highlight of the opening round of matches in the Hunts County Bats Suffolk League on Sunday.

Estlea dominated the Ampton & Culford innings against Woolpit, sharing a big opening stand with Craig Rutterford, who scored 71. Neil Baker added 29 not out as the final tally soared to a mighty 359 for three from their 40 overs.

James Deeley picked up three for 18 from his five overs, remarkably good figures among the carnage of a scoring rate of nine-an-over.

Woolpit made a decent reply of 179 for nine, enough to win many a match, but in this instance they had not quite managed half of their target.

In other Division One matches champions Sudbury were beaten by Bury St Edmunds. Tom Rash (41), A Waters (29), James McKinney (27) and Oliver Huggins (20 not out) helped Bury to 187 for eight, with Jonny Gallagher, hat-trick hero of Sudbury’s EAPL debut on Saturday, was wicketless 24 hours later.

David Chambers top-scored with 30, while Adam Mansfield chipped in with 21, but Sudbury finished 50 runs short.

Acton rattled up 247 for six (J Phillips 69 not out) but it was not enough as Jimmy Watson (72), Tom Osborn (62) and Richard Ford (57 not out) carried Worlington to a seven-wicket success.

Mildenhall were six-wicket winners over Edwardstone and Haverhill beat Lakenheath by nine wickets to complete the topflight results.

In the MSC Suffolk Alliance there was another big individual score as Sam Webb-Snowling hammered 154 not out for defending Section A champions Ipswich against Wortham.

There was a confused start as Ipswich went to Wortham while their opponents went to Clay Hall, but after the two teams were put in contact they resolved the issue and cut the overs to 40 per side. Webb-Snowling still had time to pass 150, while Chris Bell scored 78 in a total of 273 for four on the way to a 142-run win.

Kesgrave chalked up their second win, and handed a first defeat to Sudbourne Hall, when Dom Gallant (74 not out) and Steve Worne (57) took them to their target of 164 for the loss of a single wicket.

Kevin Nunn was just four short of his century after carrying his bat in BT & Waldringfield’s 47-run win over Stradbroke.

Results round-up

Hunts County Bats Suffolk League

Division One

Ampton & Culford 359 for 3 (C Estlea 236). Woolpit 179 for 9. Ampton & Culford (20) bt Woolpit (5) by 180 runs.

Edwardstone 89. Mildenhall 90 for 4. Mildenhall (20) bt Edwardstone (2) by 6 wkts.

Acton 247 for 6 (J Phillips 69no, W Ponsford 63, A Cooper 38, S Lister 3 for 36). Worlington 250 for 3 (J Watson 72, T Osborn 67, R Ford 57no). Worlington (20) bt Acton (7) by 7 wkts.

Bury St Edmunds 187 for 8 (T Rash 41). Sudbury 137 for 9 (D Chambers 30). Bury St Edmunds (20) bt Sudbury (6) by 50 runs.

Lakenheath 149 for 9. Haverhill 151 for 1. Haverhill (20) bt Lakenheath (2) by 9 wkts.

Division Two

Battisford 136. Brockley 129 for 7. Battisford (20) bt Brockley (7) by 7 runs.

Hadleigh 216 for 8. Tuddenham 98. Hadleigh (20) bt Tuddenham (4) by 118 runs.

Stowmarket 95 (T Courridge 4 for 20, L Fairweather 3 for 7). Mellis 101 for 1 (A Williamson 63no). Mellis (20) bt Stowmarket (0) by 9 wkts.

Exning 162 for 8 (D Baigent 66, B Readman 22). Walsham le Willows 147 (L Bryant 54, A Forbes 37, O Jackson 35, O Lawson 5 for 45, D Baigent 4 for 33). Exning (20) bt Walsham le Willows (6) by 15 runs.

Division Three

Cavendish Wanderers 127 (J Reed 45, A Tatum 35, S Rolfe 5 for 24). Nowton 128 for 4 (J Ridgeon 49, S Cordell 38). Nowton (20) bt Cavendish Wanderers (4) by 6 wkts.

Tendring Park 160 for 7 (M Willingham 70, J Englehart 48, C Macrow 4 for 15). Earl Stonham 163 for 3 (C Macrow 57no, D Ease 41no). Earl Stonham (20) bt Tendring Park (4) by 7 wkts.

BSSSC 184 (S Rout 66, A Malcolm 6 for 18). Thurston 187 for 1 (R Sadler 107no). Thurston (20) bt BSSSC (4) by 9 wkts.

Division Four

Bardwell 145 for 6 (S Larder 39, C Nurse 38). Battisford II 144 (C Rushbrooke 42, P Rushbrooke 32, C Nurse 4 for 23). Bardwell (20) bt Battisford II (5) by 1 run.

Woolpit Academy 224 for 6 (R Cotton 72no, D Grant 5 for 28). Gt Cornard 154 (S Lewis 61). Woolpit Academy (20) bt Gt Cornard (6) by 70 runs.

Sudbury II 77 (L Salisbury 4 for 17). Risby 80 for 2 (T Huffer 46no). Risby (20) bt Sudbury II (1) by 8 wkts.

Long Melford (-20) conceded to Mildenhall II (20).

Division Five

Rougham II 214 for 8 (J Firth 101, N Drewery 37, J Curtis 4 for 49). Nowton Academy 150 for 8 (P Arnold 67no). Rougham II (20) bt Nowton Academy (7) by 64 runs.

Hadleigh II 209 for 5 (D Manthorpe 100no, S Manthorpe 56). Mellis II 152 for 6 (R Tilley 55). Hadleigh II (20) bt Mellis II (5) by 57 runs.

MSC Suffolk Alliance

Section A

*BT & Waldringfield 218 (K Nunn 96no, M Smyth 32, R Harris 31, L Bedwell 5 for 56, A Barker 4 for 57). Stradbroke 171 for 9 (L Smith 55no, A Fitchett 29, R Harris 5 for 26, A Chopra 3 for 28). BT & Waldringfield (19) bt Stradbroke (9) by 47 runs.

*Ipswich 273 for 4 (S Webb-Snowling 154no, C Bell 78). Wortham 131 (J Coleman 32, S Crane 24, N Johnson 5 for 37). Ipswich (20) bt Wortham (5) by 142 runs.

*Easton 225 for 7 (T Huggins 75, J Todd 46, J Keeble 21, J Kimmerling 20, S Nunn 20). Rumburgh 188 for 9 (G Shipley 59no, P Godbold 32, T Bosher 3 for 26). Easton (19) bt Rumburgh (8) by 37 runs.

*Sudbourne Hall 163 for 5 (M Peck 50, T Jenkin 46, P Clift 35no). Kesgrave 164 for 1 (D Gallant 74no, S Worne 57). Kesgrave (16) bt Sudbourne Hall (4) by 9 wkts.

Section B

Woodbridge & OWs 161 for 9 (M Strand 45, R Scopes 35, P McCart 33). *Needham Market 167 for 5 (A Teague 48, K Folkard 48, N Place 23no, J Quinton 21no). Needham Market (18) bt Woodbridge (6) by 5 wkts.

St Margarets 228 for 6 (P Allen 118no, J Silburn 55, J Ubbi 23). *Brantham 229 for 4 (A Stockton 107no, J Pembroke 55, S Smith 24). Brantham (18) bt St Margarets (7) by 6 wkts.

Martlesham Nomads v Southwold results not received.

Section C

Rosary Cavaliers 171 for 7 (I Beard 56, A Whatling 28, J Garrard 3 for 18). *Eye 161 for 8 (P Shelley 99, T Bodycombe 21, I Beard 4 for 40). Rosary Cavaliers (18) bt Eye (7) by 10 runs.

Melton St Audry’s 182 for 6 (M Utting 57, S Draper 37, N Shrubshall 24, T Abbott 3 for 21). *Stowupland 92 (T Scarlett 29, S Gregory 20, S Dineen 4 for 27). St Audry’s (20) bt Stowupland (40 by 90 runs.

*Castle 224 for 6 (M Gilderson 93, J Gilderson 68, P Rabone 4 for 38). Ipswich & ES 151 for 8 (G Bone 69, J Eaton 26, M Wallis 3 for 32). Castle (19) bt IES (7) by 73 runs.

Section D

Felixstowe 46 (J Martin 4 for 9). *Saxmundham II 47 for 2. Saxmundham II (19) bt Felixstowe (1) by 8 wkts.

Felixstowe Corinthians 170 (J Sexton 47, A Shaw 39, M Sawyer 22, J Gibbs 21, A Sarangan 4 for 13, S Chilvers 3 for 32). *Worlingworth II 57 (A Sarangan 26, B Trudgett 5 for 25, G Webb 3 for 7). Felixstowe Corinthians (19) bt Worlingworth II (4) by 113 runs.

* denotes home team