Mildenhall extend winning run, but Woolpit close the gap

Woolpit have recovered from their recent wobble to win their last two games and have closed the gap on leaders Mildenhall to a single point after Saturday’s matches.

Mildenhall showed near-neighbours Exning no mercy as they thrashed the bottom-of-the-table team by 157 runs, although they ‘only’ picked up 19 points.

Fran Bester led the way with 162, adding 138 for the second wicket with Azeem Ghumman (57) before he was caught and bowled.

There was no respite for Exning as skipper Steve Lankester and Bester added 66 in eight overs, before Mildenhall closed on 328 for seven.

Although Ollie Lawson and Kent Tomsett each made 42, Exning ended on 171 for eight as Bester bagged three for 35.

The gulf between the teams was best summed up by the fact that Bester’s score plus extras totalled more than Exning’s batsmen did together!

Although Mildenhall extended their club record of straight wins to eleven, it was not sufficient to maintain, or improve, on their two-point lead at the top.

Woolpit also made hay in the sunshine, Andy Northcote scoring 126 and captain Craig Rutterford 98 in a 204-run second-wicket stand at Elmstead Grasshoppers.

The visitors declared on 304 for four after 43 overs – seven short of their maximum allocation, meaning Elmstead picked up maximum bowling points – and then dismissed their hosts for 204 in 52 overs.

Mistley’s chances of making it a three-horse race suffered a severe setback in a four-wicket reverse at Ipswich.

Skipper Kyran Young scored 74 not out and Michael Griggs 52 as Mistley made 248 for five, but Joe Rusby (59) and Lalit Bose, who ended 107 not out, compiled a third-wicket partnership of 101 and captain Chris Bell then saw his side home with an unbeaten 23.

Frinton closed the gap on third-placed Mistley to just ten points after condemning second-bottom Lakenheath to a 44-run defeat.

Tom Sinclair top-scored with 52 in Frinton’s 189 for seven, but any hopes Lakenheath had of overhauling that total were diminished as they collapsed to 105 for nine, No.8 Andrew Leech’s 51 lifting their final total to 145.

Coggeshall eased any relegation fears thanks to a 54-run success at home to Wivenhoe, while Maldon went above Haverhill after a four-wicket win, Martyn Coker making 62.

After narrowly missing out on promotion from Division Two last season, Hadleigh appear on course to achieve their goal this summer.

Easton were their latest victims, after being bowled out for 159, Kyle Tanner taking four for 50, before solid top-order batting led by Ken Henry’s 64 sealed a seven-wicket success.

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship scoreboard

DIVISION ONE

*Coggeshall 177 for 8. Wivenhoe 123. Coggeshall (20pts) bt Wivenhoe (5pts) by 54 runs.

Frinton 189 for 7 (T Sinclair 52, T Moulton 43, I Morton 21). *Lakenheath 145 (A Leech 51, G Palmer 23, I Morton 4 for 44, T Moulton 3 for 34). Frinton (20pts) bt Lakenheath (5pts) by 44 runs.

Haverhill 188 for 8 (J Boulton 54, A Gupta 47, L Youngs 30, T Pugh 3 for 40). *Maldon 189 for 6 (M Coker 62, I Elliott 37, J Glenn 30, C Harris 30, D Pass 3 for 15). Maldon (19pts) bt Haverhill (7pts) by 4 wkts.

Mildenhall 328 for 7 (F Bester 162, A Ghumman 58, S Lankester 36, A Squire 21, B Shepperson 20, T Catley 4 for 97). *Exning 171 for 8 (O Lawson 42, K Tomsett 42, S Allen 27, F Bester 3 for 35). Mildenhall (19pts) bt Exning (6pts) by 157 runs.

Mistley 248 for 5 (K Young 74no, M Griggs 52, G Stevens 35, B Allday 26, G Butcher 22, L Catlow 4 for 62). *Ipswich 249 for 6 (L Bose 107, J Rusby 59, C Bell 23, D Hondo 21, R Pineo 3 for 80). Ipswich (17pts) bt Mistley (8pts) by 4 wkts.

Woolpit 304 for 4 dec (A Northcote 126, C Rutterford 98, W Parker 31). *Elmstead Grasshoppers 204 (D White 32, J Elliott 30, P Gates 25, J Allan 3 for 26, A Northcote 3 for 28). Woolpit (20pts) bt Elmstead Grasshoppers (10pts) by 100 runs.

DIVISION TWO

Abberton 129. *Dunmow 130 for 4. Dunmow (20pts) bt Abberton (4pts) by 6 wkts.

Braintree 146 for 9 (R Ainsley 30, S Hale 21, J Beaumont 4 for 18). *Mildenhall II 138 (M Taylor 42, M Thurston 33, B Golds 6 for 43). Braintree (20pts) bt Mildenhall II (6pts) by 8 runs.

*Brightlingsea 115 (L Gould 24, M Worne 3 for 32). Ipswich & ES 121 for 5 (S Worne 46, R Dowman 4 for 33). Ipswich & ES (20pts) bt Brightlingsea (3pts) by 5 wkts.

*Easton 159 (C Branch 71, T Bosher 23, R Croney 20, K Tanner 4 for 50, A Milnes 3 for 35, M Patterson 3 for 48). Hadleigh 163 for 3 (K Henry 64, T Piddington 34no, T Rix 26, J Davey 25). Hadleigh (20pts) bt Easton (4pts) by 7 wkts.

Woodbridge & OW 207 for 8. *Witham 208 for 5. Witham (19pts) bt Woodbridge & OW (7pts) by 5 wkts.

Worlington 299 for 2. *Brockley 84. Worlington (20pts) bt Brockley (1pt) by 215 runs.

DIVISION THREE

*East Bergholt 196 for 8. Coggeshall II 197 for 7. Coggeshall II (19pts) bt East Bergholt (7pts) by 3 wkts.

Felixstowe 223 for 5. *Halstead II 224 for 5. Halstead (17pts) bt Felixstowe (7pts) by 5 wkts.

*Kelvedon & Feering 191 for 9. Little Bardfield Village 161. Kelvedon & Feering (20pts) bt Little Bardfield Village (7pts) by 30 runs.

*Long Melford 271 for 8. Sudbury II 243. Long Melford (20pts) bt Sudbury II (9pts) by 28 runs.

Stowmarket 72. *Copford 75 for 2. Copford (20pts) bt Stowmarket (1pt) by 8 wkts.

*Yoxford 349 for 5. Bury St Edmunds II 220 for 6. Yoxford (18pts) bt Bury St Edmunds II (7pts) by 129 runs.

DIVISION FOUR

Clacton II 206 for 5. *Frinton II 210 for 5. Frinton II (17pts) bt Clacton II (7pts) by 5 wkts.

*Earl Stonham 240 for 5. Witham II 194 for 9. Earl Stonham (19pts) bt Witham II (6pts) by 46 runs.

*Ipswich & ES II 138. Copdock & OI II 74. Ipswich & ES II (20pts) bt Copdock & OI II (5pts) by 64 runs.

Needham Market 261 for 7. *Hadleigh II 106. Needham Market (20pts) bt Hadleigh II (4pts) by 151 runs.

*Woolpit II 20 for 8. Ipswich II 203 for 5. Ipswich II (19pts) bt Woolpit II (7pts) by 5 wkts.

DIVISION FIVE

Great Bromley 276 for 2. *Mildenhall III 197. Great Bromley (20pts) bt Mildenhall III (5pts) by 79 runs.

Harwich & Dovercourt 137. *Bury St. Edmunds III 138m for 9. Bury St Edmunds III (20pts) bt Harwich & Dovercourt (6pts) by 1 wkt.

*Kelvedon & Feering II 117 *Boxted 118-for 4. Boxted (20pts) bt Kelvedon & Feering II (3pts) by 6 wkts.

Maldon II 173 for 8. *Wivenhoe II 174 for 7. Wivenhoe II (19pts) bt Maldon II (6pts) by 3 wkts.

St Margarets 328 for 3. *Abberton II 151. St Margarets (20pts) bt Abberton (4pts) by 177 runs.

*Tuddenham 159 for 8. Elmstead Grasshoppers II 103. Tuddenham (20pts) bt Elmstead Grasshoppers II (5pts) by 56 runs.

DIVISION SIX

*Braintree II 263 for 7. Melton St Audry’s 250. Braintree II (20pts) bt Melton St Audrys (8pts) by 13 runs.

*Ipswich III 200. Long Melford II 125. Ipswich III (20pts) bt Long Melford II (7pts) by 75 runs.

Mildenhall IV 128 for 9. *Haverhill II 129 for 4. Haverhill II (19pts) bt Mildenhall IV (4pts) by 6 wkts.

DIVISION SEVEN

*Coggeshall III 126. St Osyth 127 for 1. St Osyth (20pts) bt Coggeshall III (2pts) by 9 wkts.

*Felixstowe II 187 for 5. Copford II 191 for 4. Copford II (17pts) bt Felixstowe II (6pts) by 6 wkts.

*Kesgrave 281 for 5. Halstead III 205 for 4. Kesgrave (17pts) bt Halstead III (7pts) by 76 runs.

*Maldon III 160 for 6. East Bergholt II 87. Maldon III (20pts) bt East Bergholt II (3pts) by 73 runs.

*Stowmarket II 64. Sudbury III 67 for 1. Sudbury III (20pts) bt Stowmarket II (0pts) by 9 wkts.

DIVISION EIGHT EAST

Ipswich IV 159 for 9. *St Margarets II 161 for 2. St Margarets II (19pts) bt Ipswich IV (4pts) by 8 wkts.

*Stradbroke 173 for 7. Sudbourne Hall 145. Stradbroke (20pts) by Sudbourne Hall (5pts) by 28 runs.

*Woodbridge & OW II 103. *Easton II 107 for 3. Easton II (20pts) bt Woodbridge & OW II (2pts) by 7 wkts.

DIVISION EIGHT SOUTH

*Brantham (20pts) bt Coggeshall IV (0pts) by concession. Tendring (20pts) bt *Harwich & Dovercourt II (-10pts) by concession.

Eight Ash Green 247 for 3. *West Mersea 152. Eight Ash Green (20pts) bt West Mersea (4pts) bt 95 runs.

DIVISION EIGHT WEST

*Elveden 248 for 7. Battisford 147. Elveden (20pts) bt Battisford (5pts) by 101 runs.

*Walsham-le-Willows 241 for 8. Nowton 198. Walsham-le-Willows (20pts) bt Nowton (8pts) by 43 runs.

LADIES T20

Felixstowe (17pts) bt *Battisford (2pts) - scores unknown Maldon (16pts) bt *Battisford (5pts).

DIVISION C

*Coggeshall 186. Brightlingsea 145. Coggeshall (20pts) bt Brightlingsea (7pts) by 39 runs.

Kelvedon & Feering 112. *Clacton 115 for 1. Clacton (20pts) bt Kelvedon & Feering (1pt) by 8 wkts.

Mistley 215 for 7. *Frinton 180. Mistley (20pts) by Frinton (7pts) by 35 runs.

DIVISION C CUP

Mistley v Ipswich. Mistley (2pts) bt Ipswich (0pts) by concession.

Wivenhoe 190 for 7. *Ipswich 153. Wivenhoe (2pts) bt Ipswich (0pts) by 37 runs.

LADIES’ T20

*Bury St Edmunds 145 for 4, Felixstowe 93 for 7. Bury St Edmunds (18pts) bt Felixstowe (6pts) by 52 runs.

Maldon 121 for 5. *Frinton 123 for 0. Frinton (17pts) by Maldon (5pts) by 10 wkts.

LADIES CHALLENGE

*Mildenhall 122 for 3. Copdock & OI 109. Mildenhall (20pts) bt Copdock & OI (4pts) by 13 runs.

*Denotes home team