CAMBS League Division 3C league leaders Sawston thirds condemned Steeple Morden to their second straight defeat with the hosts all out for a disappointing 82. Batting first, Sawston were soon in trouble, with opening bowlers Jack Tidey and Darren Jarman

CAMBS League Division 3C league leaders Sawston thirds condemned Steeple Morden to their second straight defeat with the hosts all out for a disappointing 82.

Batting first, Sawston were soon in trouble, with opening bowlers Jack Tidey and Darren Jarman keeping the run rate down, with Tidey taking two wickets in his first spell.

The visitors did stage a recovery, but Martin Osborne, 2 for 20, kept the batting side under pressure.

Fine fielding by Sean Williams and three catches by Duncan Warner backed up the bowlers, as Tidey was bought back into the attack.

And he was soon in the wickets once more, with the 16-year-old registering his best figures, taking the last five wickets including the last three in four balls, all cleaned bowled, and finishing with 7 for 24.

Sawston were all out for 101.

Steeple knew it was a total that would not be reached easily and they had soon slumped to 16 for 3, before the experienced Paul Jarman (19) and Tim Tidey (21) took control, however both fell in the space of two overs.

Dave Cotton (21) took the fight to Sawston, but once he went the rest of the side soon followed as Steeple were dismissed for 82, with the visitors coming out on top with a 19-run victory.

n BALDOCK are flying high at the top of Division 5 after another win on Saturday at Avenue Park.

They beat Leverstock Green seconds by three wickets in a low-scoring, but entertaining game.

Baldock won the toss and fielded first, with Matt Ayre and Logan Newman bowling tightly.

The pressure soon told as the first wicket fell to a run out by James Peacock, while Arye then took the other opener for 10 to leave the visitors wobbling at 21 for 2.

Alistair Jones and Tim Dean then saw Baldock limit Green to 59 for 5, and although a brief surge gave the visitors hope, they were all out for 106.

The Baldock reply was equally poor, as they lost the Peacock brothers with only 10 on the board, and on 32 lost two more wickets, with their innings in disarray.

Skipper Rob Cant then found support in the form of Tom Dupuy, who changed the complexion of the innings by scoring 21 in four overs, courtesy of some fine clean hitting.

At 60 for 4 Baldock looked to have got back on track, but a silly run out ended Dupuy's stay at the wicket, and Leverstock pouched another scalp to leave the game in the balance at 63 for 6.

Once again the rate was upped by a cameo of 15 from Julian Muir, which seemed to swing the game back in Baldock's favour, but when he fell at 91, it took some calm batting from the ebullient Cant and Jones to see Baldock home to 109 for 7 in the 42 over.

There was also a win for Baldock seconds who claimed a thumping victory at Bayford & Hertford seconds.

The hosts batted first and registered 155 for 8 off 53 overs, with Phil Lucy taking three wickets in another good spell.

In reply Baldock coasted home in 40 overs, getting to the total of 156 for 2, with Richard Waters making 80 not out and Andy Diplock 29.

Baldock thirds were not so fortunate, as they slipped to a one-wicket defeat against Waltham Cross fourths, despite chalking up their highest score of the season - 169 for 9 off 47 overs.

Simon Godlan top scored with a solid 34 not out, while under-14 player Luke Mongston added a quick-fire 24.

However, despite the return of Santoc Singh's 4 for 33, Waltham Cross did what they needed to, reaching 172 for 9.

The Sunday team also suffered a defeat against a young Hatfield side, who had Baldock at 170 for 8 off their 40 overs, with Graham Letford top scoring for the hosts with 31.

Hatfield had little trouble in passing Baldock's total, and reached 171 for 3 with one over to spare.

n Alex Yarndell hit a four off the last ball to snatch victory for Cokenach in their friendly match against Furneaux Pelham on Sunday.

Batting first, Furneaux Pelham posted a competitive total of 205-6 from their 40 overs.

And the target could have been larger, were it not for some tight bowling from Peter Clarke, Jack Sirett, and 13-year old Freddie Eggleton, in the middle of the innings.

Cokenach started their reply promisingly, with opener Nigel Sirett notching a fine half-century.

Sirett was eventually dismissed for 70, but, by this point, he and captain Liam Botten (42) had led Cokenach to within 50 runs of victory.

Yet there was still time for a twist in the tail as wickets fell, and after some late hitting from Jack Sirett, Peter Clarke and Al Eve, Cokenach still needed nine runs from the last over.

And it was 16-year old Yarndell who obliged, keeping a cool head under pressure, to seal a thrilling victory for Cokenach.