COPDOCK & Old Ipswichian skipper Chris Swallow said he was under no illusions as to how tough life may be in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League despite his side sitting top of the table.

Newcomers Copdock crushed Burwell by 10 wickets on Saturday to sit proudly out on their own at the top after the four rounds of matches, although two weekends have been washed-out.

Burwell were back in the pavilion for just 103 after being bowled out in 41 overs, Swallow claiming four for 38 and fellow spinner John East three for 17.

Copdock openers Adrian Nel and Archie Gravell knocked off the runs without being parted in just 18.1 overs to complete a comprehensive win. Nel’s 67 came off 73 balls with nine fours and Gravell’s 36 occupied 37 deliveries.

Swallow said: “Until you have played everybody you don’t realistically know where you sit in the league. We have played two and won two and only conceded one point and taken 50.

“It is very early on in the season and we are under no illusions it may be that we have played two of the teams who are not going to be challenging at the top of the table.

“We are taking nothing for granted because you can get bitten on the backside pretty quickly in this game.”

Swallow added: “The wickets have been shared around; we didn’t bowl as well as against Bury St Edmunds, but we batted better, and it was an extremely good track considering the weather we have had.

“We have also fielded very well in both games and have also had a consistency of selection, which we have struggled with in the last couple of years.”

The win stretched Copdock’s remarkable unbeaten run to an impressive 19 matches – 14 on their way to winning Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship last season, two in the play-offs to win promotion, a T20 victory over Halstead in the EAPL this season plus two league wins to date.

Copdock travel to reigning champions Cambridge Granta next, and Swallow said: “This Saturday may be more of a yardstick for us because they won it last year, although they have lost twice this season.”

Bury St Edmunds and Vauxhall Mallards were involved in an exciting draw at the Victory Ground.

The visitors posted 206 all out, Justin Bishop (15-4-43-4) and Tom Rash (17-2-46-4) both bowling well with good movement off the seam.

Bury set about their target in positive fashion, Bishop and Simon Rees adding 61 for the fourth wicket.

Rees fell for 42, but Ben Bellward added 85 with Bishop, who made a superb 72, for the sixth wicket.

The game could have gone either way as Bury ended ten runs short with their last pair at the wicket.

Scoreboard

Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League

Burwell 103 (D Jones 41, C Swallow 4 for 38, John East 3 for 17). *Copdock & OI 105 for 0 (A Nel 67no, A Gravell 36no). Copdock (25pts) bt Burwell (0pts) by 10 wkts.

*Clacton v Sudbury - match cancelled due to waterlogged pitch. Each team receives 7pts.

*Halstead v Horsford - match cancelled due to waterlogged pitch. Each team receives 7pts.

*Saffron Walden 314 for 3 (G Batticciotto 127, S Parmenter 100no, M Stewart 40, N Gladwin 23). Cambridge Granta 224 (R Woolley 75, C Park 74, A Atkinson 32, G Batticciotto 4 for 43). Saffron Walden (30pts) bt Cambridge Granta (4pts) by 90 runs.

*Swardeston 223 for 6 (M Parlane 88, P Lambert 47, J Elliott 38, J Hale 3 for 27). Great Witchingham 84 for 7 (S Arthurton 39, M Thomas 3 for 7). Swardestron (14pts) drew with Great Witchingham (6pts).

Vauxhall Mallards 206 (A Shearer 61, P Bradshaw 33, C Amos 23, T Rash 4 for 46, J Bishop 3 for 43). *Bury St Edmunds 197 for 9 (J Bishop 72, S Rees 42, B Bellward 28, M Addison 3 for 39, P Bradshaw 3 for 42). Bury St Edmunds (10pts) drew with Vauxhall Mallards (11pts).

*Denotes home team.