Deventer Frinton turned around recent losses with wins for the Club in the East Anglian Premier League, Two Counties Division 1 & Royal London National Club Championship.
Damnoen Saduak Having been asked to bat in their EAPL fixture at Bury St Edmunds Kyran Young’s side got off to a poor start with another first ball LBW decision against Michael Griggs, his second of the season. This brought Young to the crease and the Australian was forced to dig deep in difficult overcast batting conditions with rain in the air.
Bury quick bowler Mark Nunn claimed his second wicket when Joe Fowler was caught behind for 11. Young was joined at the crease by Mervyn Westfield and the experienced duo showed their class with a 69 run partnership. When Westfield departed on 37 having been caught deep in the field it fell to former Bury Captain Mike Comber to join Young in a 86 run 4th wicket partnership. Comber was similarly caught in the deep for 31 whilst accelerating the score whilst Young remained unbeaten. Frinton finished on 212 for 6 with Young holding his bat for a magnificent 105 not out.
Frinton were clearly confident their total was enough and Dan Carter got the early breakthrough when ex-Suffolk man Justin Bishop edged him to the slips whilst on 10. The early introduction of spin brought returns when West Indian Kemar Smith removed the dangerous Ben Curran for 11 after an excellent stumping by Dom Stockdale.
The headlines were then taken by Smith’s partner in spin Lewis Catlow who rattled through the Bury batsmen finishing with the excellent figures of 6 for 36. With none of the Bury batsmen really getting going the home side were all out for 117 of which 31 were extras.
Frinton’s 2nd XI recorded an excellent 24 run home win against Haverhill on the same day. Sam Brynes team put on 213 with the in-form Alex Price contributing 69 runs. Frinton’s were all out with the unusual feature of a batsman being timed out. Haverhill were quickly tied up by the Frinton spin duo of Harry Nightingale & Tom Lawes. Nightingale was the pick of the bowlers taking 4 for 19 off his 7 overs. Despite a late fightback from Haverhill’s Will Bailey (61) the visitors were all out for 189.
A mixed team of 1st & 2nd XI players visited Castle Park the following day for a National Club Cup game against Colchester & East Essex giving an interesting comparison between the strengths of the East Anglian & Essex Premier Leagues. The hosts were asked to bat by Kyran Young and managed 181 for 9 with Greg De Silva unfortunately injured on 38. Other contributions came from Henry Hebron (48) & Jack Crace (52) with the Frinton wickets evenly shared between Westfield, Brynes & Catlow.
The Frinton responses started briskly but wickets fell regularly until the arrival of Westfield with the visitors on 42 for 3. Westfield was in fine fettle & destroyed the Colchester attack with an unbeaten 79 which included 10 boundaries of which 6 were huge sixes. Young contributed 36 to a 96 run partnership until bowled by Colchester skipper Jake Foley. It fell to 16 year old Josh Frame to keep his nerve with an unbeaten 30 to see Frinton over the line for an impressive 6 wicket victory. Frinton now face a tough away game to last year’s finalists Swardeston on 4th June
Frinton host Copdock & Old Ipswichians on Saturday in an East Anglian Premier League match which starts at 11am.
