After a disastrous start to the season, where most of Saffron Walden Cricket Club Academy s fixtures have been rained off, the better weather meant that the weekend s matches were all completed. For the club s adult teams and the Academy, they had a supe

After a disastrous start to the season, where most of Saffron Walden Cricket Club Academy's fixtures have been rained off, the better weather meant that the weekend's matches were all completed.

For the club's adult teams and the Academy, they had a super

Sunday with seven matches played and six victories.

Unfortunately, the under 16s, who compete in the prestigious Essex Matchplay League, were defeated away at Loughton.

The match at Loughton began promisingly, with the home team batting first and being tied down by some steady Walden bowling. Joe Barrs and Aaron Pledger were economical in their opening attack and claimed a wicket apiece.

The Loughton number three looked a class batsman and scored steadily, but Alex Marjoribanks came on and, in his first over, got this valuable wicket and in all, claimed 2-8 in three overs.

Once again though, it was left to leg spinner Darren White who has consistently been chief wicket-taker to do the business. In six overs, he hardly bowled a loose ball, giving away only nine runs and claiming three wickets.

The Loughton innings quickly subsided and Walden only needed 33 of the 40 overs allocated to bowl them out for 123.

Walden's reply began badly with top batsman Marjoribanks, going in the second over for a duck.

Joe Barrs then joined the other opener, David Herd, and they scored steadily.

Joe was eventually out for a classy 26 and was then followed by David who, with his typical big hitting, scored 38.

At this stage victory seemed well within Walden's grasp, but from then on, the middle and lower order were out very cheaply, with the exception of Will Brown who tried to steady the ship with 19 quick runs.

None of the other batsmen reached double figures and there were two ducks as the score subsided to 115, eight runs short of the Loughton total.

Both Linton's under 11s and under 13s lost their first league matches of the season at the weekend.

The under 11s bowled well against Saffron Walden and fielded three run outs. but Saffron Walden's late batsmen led by Wilson with 29 gave Linton an uphill struggle as they ended on 294-7 off 15 overs.

Linton's reply was restricted by early fast bowling and a late recovery led by Joshua Read with 12 was still insufficient as they could only reach 210-9 off 15 overs.

The under 13s match against Great Shelford was very even and played with excellent attitude from both teams.

Linton scored 101 (Harry O'Callaghan 39 and Michael Schuman Pratt 21) but Shelford reached 103 with an over to spare, despite James Macer claiming two wickets.

The under 13s also lost in the last over of their cup match with Great Wilbraham despite 25 from James Macer and 16 from Ben Foster. Ryan Auger and James Macer both took two wickets, but their opposition still reached their target of 107 with three balls to spare.

Linton under 10s were triumphant in their match against Sawston.

Linton scored 293-7 with Peter Gordon top scorer with 15.

Sawston were kept down to 263-6 thanks to tenacious fielding and accurate bowling, including two wickets from Matthew Burleigh in the final over and two direct hit run outs.