THE Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship A team were comprehensive winners of the Gemini Over-60s four-team tournament at Ipswich’s Clay Hall ground on Saturday.

The Two Counties simply swept away the opposition in both their games, losing only one wicket in the process.

In the morning they brushed aside the holders, the MSC Suffolk Alliance League, by 118 runs and in the afternoon final they won by ten wickets.

Simon Rippingale and John Stuck did the damage. Against the MSC Suffolk Alliance, Rippingale hit an unbeaten 82 and Stuck scored 64 as the Two Counties chalked up 164 for one. The Alliance innings never got going with Bruce Tompkins taking four wickets and he was well supported by Dave Hinchcliffe, Martin Southwell and Nigel Pearce.

The Alliance closed on just 46 for nine from their 20 overs, with Pearce conceding just five runs off his five overs.

In the final the Two Counties B team reached just 87 for seven, with Pearce taking four for 30 and the Two Counties knocked them off in 12.3 overs with Rippingale and Stuck again making the runs.

The Alliance took third place in a thrilling match against host club Ipswich, who managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Chasing 104 for victory Ricky Ratford and Neal Manning put on 40 for the first wicket, but Ipswich finished five runs short in the end with Bob Perrett taking three wickets in four balls.

In the morning Ipswich’s Kester Clarke took five wickets as the Two Counties B team were restricted to 144 for nine. Roger Ingham weighed in with three wickets, but Ipswich, given a great start by Ratford, Rick Jones and Colin Orman, fell 12 runs short in the end.

But the day belonged to a very strong Two Counties A side. They were a class apart, but at the same time it meant that their matches were very one-sided.

The Clay Hall ground won plenty of admirers for the condition of both pitches, and the weather was just perfect for late September.

Semi-finals

Two Counties A 164 for 1 (S Rippingale 82no, J Stuck 64). MSC Suffolk Alliance 46 for 9 (B Tompkins 4 for 11, M Southwell 3 for 11). Two Counties A won by 118 runs.

Two Counties B 144 for 9 (S Isaac 44, K Patel 29, A Cooke 26, K Clarke 5 for 32, R Ingham 3 for 24). Ipswich Seniors 132 for 8 (C Orman 36, R Ratford 29, R Jones 23, B Ball 4 for 22, S Carpenter 2 for 27). Two Counties B won by 12 runs.

Final

Two Counties B 87 for 7 (D Curtis 34, N Pearce 4 for 30). Two Counties A 88 for 0 (J Stuck 34no, S Rippingale 31no). Two Counties A won by 10 wkts.

Third/fourth place play-off

MSC Suffolk Alliance 103 for 7 (I Leggett 28, C Watson 24, R Ingham 3 for 16). Ipswich Seniors 98 (R Ratford 40, B Perrett 3 for 9, A Burt 3 for 25, M Sargeant 2 for 26). MSC Suffolk Alliance won by 5 runs.

THE Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship Over-50s representative side ended the season on a double-winning note.

The Two Counties Red team defeated Ipswich Seniors A by 48 runs and the Two Counties Blue team beat Ipswich Seniors B by 34 runs in two 45 overs-a-side matches at Clay Hall on Sunday.

Two Counties Red 203 (S Bulger 59, A Fowles 47no, D Martin 5 for 36, P Mobbs 2 for 53, A Southall 2 for 40). Ipswich Seniors A 155 for 9 (R Garrett 30, N Elford 29, A Southall 25no, B Tompkins 2 for 22, M Southwell 2 for 17, P Patel 2 for 21). Two Counties Red won by 48 runs.

Two Counties Blue 230 for 5 (T Mills 100no, A Cooke 53, G Penny 34no, N Peartree 3 for 46). Ipswich Seniors B 196 (S Bumphrey 80, C Wright 49, R Powell 4 for 70, I Newman 2 for 27, R Abbott 2 for 37, M Maxim 2 for 58). Two Counties Blue won by 34 runs.