Spinners Atkins and Beaumont bowl Copdock & OI to victory

A half-century from former Kent all-rounder Adam Ball (52) was the backbone of Copdock’s rather vulnerable-looking total of 150 all out, with 8.2 overs left unbowled.

Skipper Sam Arthurton struck 52 at the top of the innings to lay the foundations for Great Witchingham, but Beaumont and Atkins spun the hosts to victory in just 27 overs.

Teenager Atkins boasted impressive figures of 5-1-14-4, including three LBW decisions, while the more experienced Beaumont weighed in with three for 18 off eight overs.

All-in-all, this was a fine way for Copdock to bounce back from the disappointment of an opening day defeat at the hands of Frinton.

“We thought we scored 100 runs light of what would be needed,” admitted Copdock captain, Chris Swallow.

“But unusually for Copdock wickets, this was a difficult pitch to score off. With all the recent rain, we used the same pitch as the Frinton match, so it was a used pitch.

“However, we still felt that we needed to score more runs, having at one point been 120 for three. We thought we needed 250, minimum.

“Adam Ball (52 off 76 balls) was gutted to get out when he did, but he later got an important early wicket (caught and bowled James Spelman for eight).

While Arthurton was at the crease, the visitors were always in the contest, but that ended when he was bowled by Beaumont for a 61-ball 52, to leave the total on 87 for six.

Beaumont also claimed the dangerous Brett Stolworthy, caught by Ball, as the Norfolk side lost their last four wickets for just seven runs.

Swallow said: “It just so happened that whenever I changed the bowling, we tended to get a wicket in the first over. It was one of those days – everything went right.

“Jack is still only 22, and Fergus (Atkins) is only 17. He has come up through the youth system. My shoulder injury meant that Fergus got to play as the main off-spinner, and he bowled well.”