The East Anglian Premier League reached the halfway stage on Saturday with Horsford’s lead being reduced by 12 points due to Mildenhall winning at home to Bury St Edmunds. Mildenhall lost the toss and started well with the ball against Bury St Edmunds being reduced to 69.6. Kc Cariappa and Jonah Handy taking 3 wickets each. Bury restored the innings thanks to Harry Gallian (54) and Alex Maynard (83) with contrasting batting, Gallian battling 135 minutes scoring just 2 x 4 from 100 deliveries. Maynard by contrast scoring at a run a ball with 9 x 4 and 4 x 6. The partnership of 112 gave the visitors a chance but Darren Ironside did well with 3 wickets as Bury were all out for 218.
Mildenhall lost the early wicket of Peter Worthington whose previous weeks unbeaten century had ensured a 10 wicket win at Frinton. This week caught by William Routledge off Dan Shanks for 4, Matt Allen followed lbw to Josh Cantrell for 24 with the score at 36.2 a good partnership between Darren Ironside (37) and George Bartlett took the score to 113 Ironside also lbw to Cantrell. Bartlett scoring 74 before being caught by Archie Jones off Freddie Heldreich taking the score to 155.4. Despite losing Jon Allen for 15. Dom Palmer with 49 not out helped Mildenhall win the game and narrowing the gap at the top. Bury need a return to form winning 3 of the first 4 games was a good start but we have won only one of the red ball format from 5 games.

In the Two Counties League Division One the most exciting match of the day was held at the Victory Ground, Bury St Edmunds. The home side captain James McKinney won the toss and had no hesitation in batting in extremely hot conditions so much that drinks were taken after 12 overs. McKinney and opening partner James Sturgeon played well scoring 76 for the first wicket when Sturgeon was out caught by Henry Miller for 39 off the visitors overseas player Max Circosta, the same bowler accounted for McKinney (27) and Zyan Imam (4) Justin Bishop batted at number 4 and held the innings together as wickets continued to fall around him he was finally last out helped by a 7th wicket partnership of 28 runs with Oliver Riddick . Bishop scored 34 from 63 deliveries in a total of 143 played in conditions as hot as any experienced at this venue.
The total did not appear too difficult but young Isaac Walshe had different ideas as he removed visiting captain Ross Walpole who scooped a catch to Adam Kizis, Sturgeon behind the stumps is a quality wicket keeper catching Jimmy Ainscough at 19.2. The score reached 88 when Ian Elliott was out stumped by Sturgeon off Riddick. Ben Gibbons was out for 37 lbw to McKinney at 100.4. Adam Kizis was introduced and took the 5th wicket of Jamie Brown caught by Josh Owen for 2 at 115.5. Victory for the visitors looked likely as the score reached 131 but McKinney rallied his troops, Kizis had Matt Anderson stumped by Sturgeon at 131.6. Only 6 runs were required (138.6) when Walshe returned bowling Henry Miller for 0. Kizis and Walshe took two more wickets including Circosta for 18 with the score on 139. On 140 needing 4 to win Toby Pugh was out to a superb catch by Oscar Black off Kizis to great celebrations from the home team. A remarkable 4 wickets fell for just 2 runs. For Maldon a bitter pill but they remain 19 points above Bury.
Walshe returned figures of 8.2.32.4 and Kizis 5.5 overs 20.4. This was the 3rd win of a season for Bury St Edmunds who are battling in a very tough league.
The match was live streamed and the highlights can be found on the Two Counties League website.
No respite next week when they play at home to leaders Woolpit.
An excellent win for Bury’s 3rd team at home to Elmsted 2nds the visitors batted first scoring 152.9 off their 45 overs. They were in fact 98.9 but a last wicket partnership between Aisih Das (34 not out) and Alan Smith (15 not out) set a target. Hamidullah Kharoti taking 3.27 Krishna Sinha 2.35 and another good performance from Vivek Rajagopal 10.4.23.4. Wilf Frost taking 3 catches.
In reply Simon Aldous was out early but the innings was dominated by Sam Harrison who has been know to be out on 99 but not this time scoring a superb 114 not out supported by Simon Cruse with 20 not out. It was good to have all the victorious 2nd team present to applaud Harrison off the pitch.
Not such a good day for the 4th team away to Woolpit’s 5th team played at Elmswell the match was abandoned after 5.4 overs the pitch proved too dangerous to carry on, the bounce was so uneven it was not fair to risk injury. The teams played a spin only T 20 rather than not play at all.
The Sunday team captained by Sam Aldous played away to Division Two leaders Brockley, Bury batted first and scored 180.8 with runs from Dillon Bhavsar (31) Janak Raj (28) John Hartwright (41) and Aldous with 32. Brockley secured the win with 6 wickets down thanks to an unbroken partnership between S.Fenner and D. Boreham both finishing the match on 31 not out. Jacob Meredith taking 4 wickets.
On Monday in the under 17 Blast Bury beat Woolpit who had posted 114.9 thanks to Kieran Lilley with 25 and Leo McLennon 23. Isaac Walshe taking 3.18 Zyan Imam 2.10 and Seamus Gallagher 2.29. Bury scored the runs required with just 2 wickets down thanks to Imam with 49 and Arlo Bhavsar (50)
Greene King Players of the week Harry Gallian, Alex Maynard, Isaac Walshe, Adam Kizis, Justin Bishop, James Sturgeon, Sam Harrison, Vivek Rajagopal, Zyan Imam, Arlo Bhavsar and Jacob Meredith.
Byron Burgers Player of the week Sam Harrison.
Next week the 1st team are away to Frinton in the EAPL, the 2nd team play leaders Woolpit in the two counties Division 1, 3rd team are at home to Felixstowe 2nds and 4th team away to Worlington’s 3rd team.
On Sunday we are at home to Bardwell.