COPDOCK & Old Ipswichian made a stunning start to life in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League.

The first east Suffolk side to take their place among East Anglia’s elite club sides bowled Bury St Edmunds out for just 57 on Saturday before completing a comfortable eight-wicket win.

Namibian international all-rounder Chrisi Viljoen returned figures of 12-4-27-4 and was well supported by James and John East and Tom Jenkin, who claimed two wickets apiece.

After slipping to 16 for two in reply, Martyn Cull and Jed Cawkwell saw the visitors reach their target without further loss off just 16 overs at the Victory Ground.

Skipper Chris Swallow said: “We did everything we need to do and did it well, while some of the Bury players will be disappointed with how they played.

“In terms of getting a result we wanted to bowl first knowing there was a lot of unsettled weather around. We were lucky to bowl them out so quickly, but the pitch didn’t change a great deal between when we bowled and when they bowled.”

Swallow said that the addition of Viljoen to the side this season was “massive” for the club.

“Having an overseas international cricketer makes a massive difference. Christi is a young lad full of energy and he has gelled very quickly with the rest of the lads.

“James East has led the attack for several years, so it is really nice for him to have a quick partner to open the bowling with. All the lads bowled very well on Saturday and we fielded very well and took our catches.”

Swallow said he was not unduly concerned after the loss of two early wickets in Copdock’s innings.

“Justin Bishop is a very good bowler and the ball swung around while Mark Nunn also bowled well, but as well as Jed Cawkwell we now have Martyn Cull, who came in at number three, and I was always confident we would go on to win.”

Copdock now entertain Sudbury in their first home match on Saturday and Swallow added: “We used to play them in Division One of the Two Counties and had some good, close games against them. I am not sure how much their team has moved on since then as we have not played them for a couple of seasons, but we should be able to field a strong XI and are looking forward to it.”

Sudbury were forced to settle for a draw after their match against Saffron Walden was abandoned with the visitors 90 for four in reply to the home team’s 135 all out. Matt Pears made 49 and Darren Batch 40 as Saffron Walden’s Nick Batcheler claimed 18-4-48-5.

Jonny Gallagher’s 11.1-3-30-3 reduced Saffron Walden to 63 for four to set up an interesting finale and they had added a further 27 runs without loss before the weather had the final say.

The matches involving Clacton, at home to Swardeston, and Halstead, who were at Great Witchingham, were both washed out without a ball being bowled.

Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League

BURY ST EDMUNDS v COPDOCK & OI

Copdock & OI (25pts) bt Bury St Edmunds (1pt) by 8 wkts.

Bury St Edmunds: T Huggins c Kingstone b James East 10, J Bishop c&b Viljoen 2, C Lomas lbw b Viljoen 0, S Rees st Kingstone b Jenkin 28, H Rynsard-Perry b Viljoen 0, T Rash lbw b Viljoen 0, M Nunn b James East 0, B Bellward c Swallow b John East 3, J McKinney lbw b John East 1, J Lofts c Thomas b Jenkin 12, T Robotham not out 0, Extras 1. Total (off 27.2 overs) 57.

Bowling: Viljoen 12-4-27-4; James East 9-4-13-2; John East 2-1-6-2; Jenkin 4.2-1-10-2.

Copdock & Old Ipswichian: A Nel lbw b Bishop 0, A Gravell lbw b Nunn 5, M Cull not out 22, J Cawkwell not out 18. Extras 13. Total (for 2 wkts, off 16 overs) 58.

SUDBURY v SAFFRON WALDEN

Sudbury (5pts) drew with Saffron Walden (8pts).

Sudbury: A Mansfield lbw b Batcheler 19, J Poulson b Salt 0, D Batch lbw b Batticciotto 40, N Poole b Batticciotto 7, W Shropshire lbw b Batcheler 0, P Siegert b Batcheler 0, M Pears c Stewart b Powell 49, M Wooderson c Batticciotto b Batcheler 1, M Hunn b Batcheler 0, B Hyett not out 5, J Gallagher c Stewart b Powell 0. Extras 14. Total (off 48.2 overs) 135.

Bowling: Batcheler 18-4-48-5; Salt 6-1-27-1; Batticciotto 17-7-27-2; Powell 6.2-2-8-2; Larsen 1-0-12-0.

Saffron Walden: M Stewart b Gallagher 0, A Gale c Mansfield b Batch 8, G Batticciotto b Gallagher 33, S Parmenter lbw b Gallagher 15, G Ecclestone not out 21, B Powell not out 9. Extras 4. Total (for 4 wkts, off 27.1 overs) 90.

Bowling: Gallagher 11.1-3-40-3; Hunn 7-2-20-0; Batch 7-2-14-1; Poole 2-0-14-0.

*Cambridge Granta 122 in 48.4 overs (A Fullarton 71, P Bradshaw 6 for 25). Vauxhall Mallards 124 for 3 in 31.3 overs. Vauxhall Mallards (25pts) bt Cambridge Granta (1pt) by 7 wkts.

*Clacton v Swardeston - match cancelled. Clacton (7pts), Swardeston (7pts).

*Great Witchingham v Halstead - match cancelled. Great Witchingham (7pts), Halstead (7pts).

Horsford 202 for 2 in 41 overs (M Spenceley 105no, J Mickleburgh 86). *Burwell 92 for 9 in 36 overs (C Brown 5 for 37). Burwell (4pts) drew with Horsford (13pts).