CAMBS Junior Division 1B leaders USSC made light work of Barley with a good four-wicket victory. Barley got off to a disappointing start when they lost both opening batsmen, Brian Symes and Christopher Markham early on. However, Matthew Chandler s well

CAMBS Junior Division 1B leaders USSC made light work of Barley with a good four-wicket victory.

Barley got off to a disappointing start when they lost both opening batsmen, Brian Symes and Christopher Markham early on.

However, Matthew Chandler's well-worked 73 did much to lift morale, with Joe Fanthorpe's valuable 21 also contributing.

But then they lost Bruce Carnaby and Nick Butler for ducks, both undone by Gavin Pick.

Mark Downer, Jason Busby-Mitchell, and Patrick McMahon, all fell cheaply to Samir Khan, before Peter Chuck (22) and Keith Markham (9 not out) added some much-needed runs with Barley all out for 173.

It was a total the league's in-form team would always be confident in reaching, and following a lively start by opener Nicholas Viljoen (78) the hosts looked well on their way.

Fellow opener Martin Livett also impressed with his 38, and Barley were thankful when Matthew Chandler's intelligent play saw them both off.

Bruce Carnaby then bowled Stuart Cronin (14) for the first of his three wickets, but with batsmen and overs to spare, USSC were still firmly in the driving seat.

Chandler's third wicket, bowling Austin Wiehahn for 5, gave Barley hope, as did the speedy dismissal of Richard Wadrup and Richard Savage, with Nick Butler and Symes taking the respective catches from Chandler's bowling.

However, it was always going to be a hard task in turning the result around, and USSC's Dan Gallagher (10 not out) and Khan saw the hosts home at 175 for 6.

In Junior Division 5C Barrington seconds continued their recent fine form with an 85-run win at Babraham thirds, having totalled 176 for 5, while league rivals Bassingbourn seconds claimed an eight-wicket win against Sawston fourths.

A commanding performance in Division 1B saw Cokenach to a nine-wicket win at Whittlesford, dismissing the home side for 104, and getting home for the loss of just one wicket.

Six wickets was the margin of defeat for Foxton seconds in Division 2C despite setting a challenging target against Eversden.

Foxton reached 221 for 6 from their 40 overs, but Eversden hit back with 225 for 4.

Elsewhere in Division 5C, Thriplow thirds impressed with their 126-run victory over Cokenach seconds, with the visitors setting the tone with a confident 268 for 4 from their 40 overs. In response, Cokenach could muster only 142.

In Division 2C, Haslingfield slipped to a second straight defeat, losing by 72 runs against a strong Babraham seconds, who chalked up 178 for 3 off their 40 overs.