CRICKET: Tattingstone beat second-placed Copdock & Old Ipswichians on Saturday and are now almost home and dry in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship.

CRICKET

TATTINGSTONE beat second-placed Copdock & Old Ipswichians on Saturday and are now almost home and dry in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship.

And it looks as though Sudbury could be playing East Anglian Premier League cricket next year.

Tattingstone still need one more win from their last two matches – against Browns and Exning – to take the title for the first time.

Skipper Chris Bell said: "We want to win on Saturday to wrap it up and then we can celebrate before the last game at home to Exning."

Copdock, pipped for the title last year when their late collapse handed the crown to Exning, dropped out of the running again this time when they lost by three wickets.

Tim Percival scored 58 but he received little support in a Copdock total of 181 for nine, and then the visitors turned to spinners John East and Tom Jenkin to deliver all but three of their overs in reply. Stuart Hammond (43), Ian Connell (23) and Chris Bell (32) gave Tattingstone a solid start, but the run rate rose as the spinners tied the home batsmen down.

It was second-teamer Steve Porter who saw Tattingstone home with nine balls to spare with an unbeaten 18.

Sudbury moved up to second when they ended Mistley's title hopes.

Since Tattingstone are unable to bid for a place in the East Anglian Premier League because their off-field facilities do not meet the required standard, Sudbury will be able to apply if they finish runners-up.

On the hottest Saturday of the season Sudbury bowled and fielded well to restrict Mistley to 196. Guy Robins, back in action after a four-week absence due to injury, returned with a tight spell which also included the wickets of danger men Matt Barlow and Australian John Douvlos.

John Phillips and Simon Halliday put on 59 for the first Sudbury wicket. Then wickets began to fall and it was left to Halliday to complete the job. Batting with a runner following a calf strain and needing 12 off the last two overs, Halliday hit two sixes and a four to win the game and complete his own century.

At the other end of the table Browns kept their hopes of avoiding the drop alive, while consigning Braintree to Division Two.

It was a good all-round effort by Browns to reach 186, with Joe Lander (59), Robert Manning (38), Neil Parry (33) and Tim Debenham (20) leading the way. Shaun Gould picked up six for 43, then left-armer Charlie Sadler destroyed Braintree with seven for 38 in a total of just 102.

Wivenhoe go to Sudbury on Saturday with the runners-up spot the likely prize for the winners.

Ipswich & East Suffolk – who have remarkably lost five matches to the weather out of 14 – won away to Mildenhall II to just about make sure of promotion from Division Two. Coggeshall also look promoted and they had the week free due to Felixstowe's withdrawal. Third-placed Easton could take advantage of any slip-ups, having won by 20 runs at Lakenheath on Saturday.

Worlington, whose season fell apart with the loss of key batsman Andy Ford with a snapped Achilles, lost by 24 runs at home to Elmstead and will finish bottom. Witham are in danger of joining them, although Lakenheath and Mildenhall II are not far ahead.

WOOLPIT won by four wickets at home to Dunmow to improve their chances of winning Division Three, with Harwich losing by two wickets at home to Brightlingsea.

Haverhill, eight-wicket winners at St Margarets, could take advantage.

n The long-suffering Sunday Challenge received another blow when Frinton joined the lost of teams conceding matches.

Frinton championship representative Pat Patel said:"The Sunday Challenge has been a mockery this season and we are very despondent about it. We could have raised a team of youngsters, but we could not find senior players willing to take them."

THE Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Over-50s side gained a creditable draw with Norfolk Seniors.

Norfolk declared at 210 for six with Kilshaw falling one short of his century.

Norfolk Over-50s 210 for 6 (Kilshaw 99, Dale 2 for 34, Simmons 2 for 47). Two Counties Over-50s 183 for 3 (Philpott 54, Curtis 41, Berger 36 n.o., Penny 30, Loveday 2 for 32). Match drawn.

Tomorrow, the Two Counties side are at Mistley and the side is: John Stuck (Clacton, capt), Chris Simmons (Clacton), Colin Philpott, John Hill (Maldon), Graham Penny (Long Melford), Phil Jones (Haverhill), Barry Ball (Abberton), Clive Claireaux (Hadleigh), Martin Southwell (Braintree), Mike Thew (Coggeshall), Alan Cooke (Copdock & OIs).