First win of the season for Bury St Edmunds

Bury v Copdock and Old Ipswichians cricket action. Bury batting. Tom Huggins batting. (Image: Archant)

And there was also a crushing victory for Clacton, who romped to an eight-wicket success over Burwell.

Bury v Copdock and Old Ipswichians cricket action. Bury batting. James East's appeal is turned down. (Image: Archant)

Bury remain rock bottom of the table but, after several near misses, they finally broke their winning duck thanks to a commanding 92-run victory over Suffolk rivals Copdock & Old Ipswichian at the Victory Ground.

Suffolk captain Bishop starred with the bat, scoring a century in the hosts’ total of 255 for eight off their 66 overs.

Fellow opener Huggins, Bury’s skipper, had contributed a half-century himself before ensuring victory with a five-wicket haul in Copdock’s reply.

In fact, it turned into an excellent weekend for Huggins, who went on to compile an unbeaten 142 for Suffolk on day one of the Minor Counties Championship fixture against Buckinghamshire in Gerrards Cross on Sunday.

Dramatic batting collapses had cost Bury dear several times this summer, but an opening stand of 79 between an on-song Huggins and Bishop provided just the platform that was required for a first win in 14 league matches.

Huggins struck 10 boundaries and faced just 62 balls for his 50, before Suffolk county all-rounder Tom Rash claimed the first of his four wickets.

The quickfire dismissals of Hugo Rynsard-Perry (first ball), trapped leg before by Rash, and Sasha Ward, also ensared lbw by Rash, left Bury tottering on 108 for three.

But Ben Wright gave Bishop the support that was needed to set a big total. With the exception of Huggins and Bishop, Wright was the only other Bury player to reach double figures.

By the time that he had been removed by Chris Swallow, for a valuable 40, Bury had advanced their score beyond the 200-mark.

Bishop was the sixth wicket to fall, having made a match-winning 118 from 181 deliveries, including a six and 16 fours.

Copdock & Old Ipswichian lost two early wickets in their reply, before opener Adrian Nel and Rash promised to mount a rearguard by taking the score on to 114 for two.

However, Bradley Mason broke that partnership, which had been worth 84, by having Rash (46) caught by James McKinney. Nel followed just three runs later, again a victim of Mason, having made 51.

The visitors then lost wickets at regular intervals, with Huggins the chief destroyer with figures of five for 50 off 13 overs. There was also three wickets for Matthew Hunn, who cleaned up the tail.

Elsewhere, Clacton celebrated a fantastic eight-wicket win over Burwell at Vista Road.

Burwell won the toss and opted to bat, a decision that backfired in spectacular fashion as they failed to even reach three figures.

Michael Comber, Tim Alexander and Ben France shared the wickets between them as Burwell were dismissed for just 92 inside 40 overs.

The visitors never recovered from losing their first three wickets for just 13, and it needed a last wicket partnership of 33, between Jamie Seabrook (31) and last man Mark Chinery to take the total from a dismal 59 for nine to 92 all out.

Opening bowlers Comber (five for 40) and Alexander (three for 12 off 9.2 overs) both impressed, while France weighed in with two for 29.

Despite losing Thiranko Rajarate to his first ball faced, George Brown (50) and Mohammad Asif (30 not out) shared a 75-run partnership for the second wicket to effectively seal a fifth victory of the season for Clacton.

Woolpit held on for a draw at Horsford, after the hosts had recovered from losing their first five wickets for 103, to make 273 for eight. There were seventies from Matthew Lowe and Matthew Wilkinson.

Will Parker, who had taken three wickets, including those of Lowe and Wilkinson, was dismissed early on in Woolpit’s reply. But fellow opener Andrew Northcote (35) shared a half-century stand with Craig Rutterford, and it was the stubborn batting of the latter that helped to scramble a draw.

Rutterford top scored with 70 – he was eighth out with the score on 206 – and it was left to the last pair of Dudley Spiers (23 not out) and Barry Collins to see out the final few overs. Woolpit ended on 214 for nine.

Sudbury were never in the hunt against leaders Swardeston. Put in by their visitors, Sudbury were skittled out for 105. Jandre Coetzee top scored with 34, and then took two wickets as Swardeston reached their target for the loss of four wickets.