EAPL leaders Sudbury make it four wins on the bounce
Adam Mansfield was delighted to see Sudbury (335-7 dec) came good in the final over to claim what he saw as a well-deserved victory at Copdock & Old Ipswichian (234) to further extend their advantage in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League.
A 101-run victory, inspired by Ben Parker’s first EAPL century (112 not out), saw the Talbots open up a gap of 47 points, from 38 after Frinton-on-Sea were leapfrogged by Swardeston after the Essex side’s draw at Burwell & Exning.
And wicketkeeper Mansfield felt it would have been a travesty if the side had not ended Saturday’s encounter with a fourth straight win, having put in a strong performance throughout the team.
“It was a good game,” he said. “They were blocking it out for a draw for quite a while so to get that last wicket in those circumstances – in the last over – was pretty good.”
After Sudbury were inserted to bat by their hosts on losing the toss, Mansfield was the first wicket to fall, caught by Sam Webb-Snowling off the bowling of Jason Pembroke. He went on to claim the first three wickets with the departures of Darren Batch (1) and Tom Huggins (51) leaving the league leaders wobbling at 81-3.
But Parker, at number five, transformed the innings by following up his match-winning 85no with a century which included 16 fours amid the 132 balls he withstood.
Suffolk captain Mansfield said: “It is good to see him get some runs.
“Last year he struggled a bit but since he has come back from university he has been fantastic and looks like the old Ben Parker.”
Kenny Moulton-Day also played a vital role in a score which tipped over the 300-mark as he posted 54 from 43 balls.
In reply, Copdock were in trouble when Chris Swallow fell to Tim Johnston with his side having not yet reached double figures (9-1) while they were soon contemplating a drawn out innings being their best chance of avoiding defeat with Batch’s catch to see off young Suffolk talent Jed Cawkwell (4) via Dustin Melton’s delivery leaving them stuttering at 87-4.
The hosts managed to settle from there and make a contest of the remaining overs. But Melton claimed four more victims in an impressive display (14-3-51-5) before the match-winning wicket of Lewis Millions came with two balls to go from a catch from the returning Ben Reece off New Zealand overseas pro Johnson.
“Dustin and Tim bowled really well and to get 10 wickets when batting first, especially on that pitch, was great,” said Mansfield.
Sudbury host mid-table Burwell & Exning at Friars Street on Saturday (11am) with Mansfield feeling the opposition will pose a threat to their winning run if they are not at the top of their game once again.
