Foxton 229-7 (48 overs) Ramsey 118 (37.4 overs)

Following three blank Saturdays due to the inclement weather Foxton were pleased to be back in action as they hosted last seasons champions Ramsey and duly completed the double over them this season with an emphatic 111 run win. Batting first on a dry flat surface the home sides top order put in a solid performance and contributions from Sharne Grant 24, skipper Gareth Roots 33, Lawrence Farnum 47, Adam Webster 58, Chris Pepper 26 and Ian Cambridge 22 enabled them to total over 200 for the loss of only four wickets. In the chase for quick runs they then lost a further three wickets and Ramsey's spinner Muhammad Haroon took full advantage of this to finish with 5-60 and was well backed up by the consistent medium pace of David Carlaw who returned 16-6-53-1. Foxton went into tea reasonably content with their total of 229-7 from 48 overs.

Andrew Kealy, returning after his injury, partnered by Max Bowen opened up the home sides attack and the latter tasted early success in his third over having Elliot Smith caught by Roots for four. A superb overhead catch in the deep by Ian Cambridge gave Bowen his second scalp to dismiss visitors captain Damien Clarke for 14 and after 16 overs the visitors were on 43-2. James Markland batting at number three looked the pick of Ramsey's batting and third and fourth wicket stands of 26 with Taylor West and 33 with Matthew Slack pushed them to 102-3 after 30 overs and the game was reaching stalemate with hopes raised of a draw for the visitors and an outside chance of victory. Kealy, now into his second spell, this time from the church end, then turned the game on its head as he cleaned bowled Markland for an impressive 54 (11 fours) and three balls later repeated the feat to claim Slack for 16. This opened the floodgates and in only another eight overs it was all over. Off spinner Tom Stone rapidly removed the majority of the lower order assisted by two sharp stumpings from home 'keeper Grant. It was left to Kealy to claim the final victim as he had Ashley Wells caught in the gulley by Mark Ferrari and Ramsey were all out for 118, having lost their last seven wickets for only 16. As in their batting the Foxton bowling was very much a team effort led by Stone flighting the ball superbly on the cross wind to return 9-2-23-4 well supported by Kealy with 12.4-1-38-3 and Bowen producing almost every ball on a perfect length with 9-3-16-2, Ferrari chipped in with 4-0-20-1.

Foxton claimed a maximum 25 points to keep them narrowly ahead of Wisbech at the top of the table and with only seven games remaining it promises to be an exciting end to the season.

Next week they travel to Castor whilst the 2nd XI entertain Chesterford I.

Barry McCulloch - 29/07/2012