The cricket season commenced on Saturday April 20th with Bury St Edmunds hosting Great Witchingham a club in their centenary season who are making a big effort to win the East Anglian Premier League with the signing of two former England players Montey Panesar and Philip Mustard the two players ensured a bigger than normal crowd at the Victory Ground which included Anglia TV who highlighted Panesar in their weekend sports coverage with photographs of the ground, it was the home team that took the honours with a blistering start Nikethan Radhakrishan (91 that included 6 x 6) and Alex Maynard (54) scoring 100 runs for the first wicket off just 71 deliveries, Maynard was out for 54 with 5 x 6 which included peppering the new outdoor nets, Panesar pleased the visitors with three wickets that included Radhakrishan, Will Routledge and captain Josh Cantrell. There were useful contributions on what proved an excellent surface from Tom Rash (15) and Jack Howland of 25 not out from a rain restricted 44 overs. Mustard taking two catches and two stumpings.
Great Witchingham made a stuttering start made finding themselves 54.3 James Spellman was first out for 19 lbw Ben Whittaker, James Hale followed caught for 0 by Ned Stanton bowled Howland as the two young players combined, Hudson De Lucchi followed bowled by Whittaker. There followed an excellent partnership of 134 runs between Mustard and Drew Beazleigh (76) that was broken as Cantrell took a superb catch on the boundary off Tom Rash, had these two stayed together the visitors would probably have won but three further wickets fell to Rash and Mark Smith, the visitors needed 39 off the last 4 overs but good bowling by Rash and Smith who was able to run out Beazleigh and bowled the last over for just 6 runs leaving Bury winners by just 4 runs in a highly entertaining game.
Bury's 2nd team were also in a very good game away to Woolpit's 2nd XI Bury batted first scoring237.4 off the allocated 45 overs again on a very good surface, captain James Sturgeon scored 55 in an opening partnership of 160 with Justin Bishop (77) but as often is the case both were out on this score Alan Barker scored 29 and James McKinney 19 not out in a score of 237.4.
Woolpit struggled early in their innings and at 54.3 but excellent batting from Ryan Newcombe (82 not out) and Tim Huffer (62) ensued the hosts won with just 3 balls remaining scoring 238.6 in a very exciting finish. Two wickets for Joe Corder and Ben Curran and one for Adam Kizis and Josh Owen on debut.
Bury's 3rd team entertained Brightlingsea batted first and made 159.9 Simon Aldous top scored with 39 and Ammad Hassan Fida scoring 33, 4 wickets for Rowan Hunt.
The visitors were able to reach the total needed with Robert Macdonald scoring 67 not out Two wickets each for Tom Wright and Elliot Bonas.
Greene King Players of the week Nikethan Radhakrishan, Alex Maynard, Justin Bishop and James Sturgeon.
Byron Burgers young player of the week Nikethan Radhakrishan who received a voucher for £25 to spend.
Next week the 1st team travel to Sawston and Babraham, the 2nd team are at home to Braintree and 3rd team away to Earl Stonham.