Burwell & Exning continue strong start and wins for Foxton Granta and Histon during third round of Onyx League Division One

Burwell & Exning (282-7) made it three wins from three with a 35-run success at Saffron Walden II (247) to continue to lead the way in the early Onyx League Division One table.

After losing the toss and being inserted to bat, openers Tom Griffiths and Simon Donald got the visitors off to a strong start with a first-wicket partnership of 73 before Griffiths was caught on 27.

Donald (50) was able to reach his half century before falling to a Mihir Chandraker delivery while captain Paul Summerskill, at number four, went to to top score with 77 from 76 balls.

Burwell & Exning have made a strong start to life in Division One of the Onyx League following promotion

There was also a decent contribution from Charlie Sorensen (38) as they batted out their 50 overs with three wickets to spare.

In reply, Saffron Walden skipper Chandraker (0) fell facing his second ball to Connor Benton leaving them 3-1 which then became 14-2 as Dylan Hardy caught fellow opener Luke Swanston (4) off the same bowler.

They were able to rerubuild from there, passing into three figures before the next wicket came, but the visitors then began to take them at regular intervals to turn the screw and eventually cross the winning line three balls from the end.

Manish Burman accounted for the last two wickets taking him to 3-23 from his five overs, while Benton (2-33) and Ben Kelly (2-40) both claimed a pair each.

Burwell & Exning will host the only other side to have gone three from three this weekend when Ramsey visit Exning Park on Saturday (11 May).

Foxton Granta (227-6) made it two victories from two games played, having seen their opening fixture lost to the wet weather, at Eaton Socon (226-9) with a four-wicket success.

Lewys Hill proved their star man with the ball as he claimed 3-43 from 10 overs with Henry Campbell taking 2-47 from his maximum allowance.

It looked an imposing total to chase down but after losing three wickets for one run to go from 97-2 to 98-4 they were able to prove their batting depth.

Alex Hooley, in at five, ended on 50 not out from 66 deliveries and found a solid partner in Richard Kaufman (47) before joining with Fergus Fergusson (3no) to reach the target with three wickets to spare.

Foxton Granta will return to home comforts on Saturday (11 May) when winless Old Leysians visit.

Histon (136-5) also enjoyed a strong away victory at the weekend with a five-wicket success at Wisbech Town (135) seeing Ben Leach’s side bounce back from defeat.

After losing the toss and seeing the hosts opt to bat, they got an early breakthrough when John Turner (4-12) claimed the first of his four wickets from 9.1 overs in the third over of the innings.

But while he was to prove by far the most conservative of their bowlers, his wickets total was surpassed by Tom Newman who claimed a five-for with 5-26 from eight overs.

They had put themselves in a position where steady rather than spectacular was the name of the game.

Henry Wilson was their highest scorer with 29 while Ehren Agarwal (22no from 76) and Cameron Mitchell (24no from 57) hung around well to see them through in the 41st over.

Histon will be looking for back-to-back victories when Blunham visit on Saturday (11 May).

Elsewhere, Cambridge St Giles (195) were unable to build on the previous weekend’s win as they lost out by 25 runs at Blunham.

Tobias Van Den Heever (87) and Connor Heaps (62) did most of the damage between them with Aatish Kean Maharaj (3-32) and Chris Germon (3-31) both ending with three wickets each, though the former was the most economical.

Zaheer Hussain, with 68 from 118 balls, led the fight in reply but it ended up falling short as they were bowled out in the 48th over.

Cambridge St Giles host aSawston & Babraham II side on Saturday (11 May) who suffered a seven-wicket defeat at Southill Park to leave them with three straight defeats.