DIVISION 3B

Castle Manor beat Babraham II by 59 runs

CASTLE Manor travelled to the only ground they have lost on this season for a top-versus-bottom battle at Babraham II and came away with a comprehensive 59-run win.

Manor made a tentative start an a brief flurry from skipper Andy Edwards (16) was all they had to show for the first few overs until Martin Buckner and Liam Savage came together on 29-2.

Both have been in good form lately and they soon found their range, dispatching anything loose to the boundary.

Buckner (22) fell to Sam Pass (2-35) but Savage (52) looked superb and continued the good work before notching a thoroughly-deserved half century until he became one of Liles’ (3-33) victims as Manor finished on 131-7.

Manor's bowling attack has been very strong this year and it was the change bowlers who made the breakthrough with Ben Piper (2-16) immediately dismissing Shannon (15) before Dan Webb tore through the hosts’ top order.

Only Trevor Davis (25) provided any resistance until he fell to Webb (4-17), who became the first Manor bowler to pass 20 wickets for several seasons.

Talbot (1-18) returned to blast out the stumps and there was just time for Pass to lash Fox to the boundary before Babraham finished well short on 72-8.

Manor now have a break before travelling to Ashdon for the league cup semi-final.