The 3rd Xl lost their ninth game of the season in CCA Junior League Division 2A, when they went down by 68 runs in the bottom of the table clash at Soham.

The home side, who have had team-raising problems of their own, made a modest 149 all out thanks to three run outs and wickets from Neil Alger (3-36) and Toby Nulty (2-48).

At 27-3, the prospects for the visitors looked bright, but a fourth wicket stand of 62 put Soham back in the game.

But yet again a good March batting line-up on paper was torn to shreds - 80 all out, with Jamie Stimpson making 31. He hit five boundaries including two 'sixes', with Marcus Kirby (11) and Rob Cumming (10) the only other batsmen to make double figures.

The defeat leaves the 3rd Xl at the foot of the table with four games to play.

A career best 82 from James Beresford helped the 3rd Xl lift themselves off the bottom of CCA Junior League Division 2A, with a convincing seven wicket win over second in the table Sutton.

The home side were six regulars short but that didn't prevent Beresford from dispatching five deliveries straight out of the ground in the 152-3 winning total. The left-arm bowler who hadn't open the batting for the side before - he scored 25 for the second team the week before - certainly had Lady Luck on his side having been dropped six times and surviving two run outs!

But when he did hit the ball it stayed hit as he crashed a total of nine boundaries in a 101 third wicket partnership with Dave Russell, who remained undefeated on 27.

Earlier, Manuj Patel picked up two wickets in his first over before a run had been scored to become one of three bowlers to claim three wickets - skipper Matt Hubbard and Neil Alger the other two, in Sutton's 148-9 total.

Patel returned figures of 3-47, with Alger taking out Sutton's top-scorers in his 3-24 and Hubbard recovering from 10 runs off his opening two balls for his 3-21.

NB: James Beresford also won the The National Lottery Saturday night and all third team members have been invited aboard his newly acquired luxury yacht moored off the South of France!

Even a brilliant 6-36 spell of off-spin bowling from Stuart Fox couldn't prevent the 3rd Xl from a 23-run defeat at the hands of Chatteris 2nd Xl at The Avenue...and it may just signal the end of their two-year stay in CCA Junior League Division 2A.

In the relegation battle, the visitors were bowled out for 142, with Jordan Morgan conceding just 16 runs from his 10 overs. He came into the attack, alongside Fox with the Chatteris total on 86-2.

Neil Alger took the first two wicket on his way to 2-40, but with four dropped catches off skipper Matt Hubbard's bowling the fielding performance before the drinks break was below standard.

A much better final 20 overs saw Fox weave his guile - three of his victims, plus a run out, coming in the 40th over.

But in reply March made a disastrous start - 15-3 off the first eight overs before slumping to an embarrassing 32-6.

Morgan and Nathan Oliver led the fight back with a spirited 57-run partnership. Morgan struck five boundaries, including a 'six', in his 29 and Oliver, one of the most improved batsmen in the entire club, cracked five boundaries before becoming the third March player to be run out.

In the end it wasn't enough as the innings closed on 119...missing out on a further bonus point by one run.

James Shepherd produced a brilliant final over to help the 3rd Xl to a narrow two run victory in a roller-coaster derby game against Wisbech 3rd Xl at the Neale-Wade, in CCA Junior League Division 2A.

The visitors needed just four runs for victory with two wickets intact, when the young left-armer conceded just a single from the last six balls. His first three deliveries were dot balls to Marty Parrin, who then nicked a single off the fourth. That let in big-hitting Dean Dodman on 52 not out, who failed to make contact with the final two balls.

In the previous over he had smacked the sixth ball out of the ground to set up a thrilling finale. In fact, before he came to the crease March were coasting to victory with three wickets from off-spinner Stuart Fox and a brace apiece from Matt Hubbard and James Beresford.

Beresford, in particular, changed the game, with two wickets in his first over - his very first delivery being brilliantly caught at cover by the ever improving Nathan Oliver.

At the start of the match, March had found themselves 7-3 inside the first six overs, only for Scott Welcher and Pat Ringham to put on 72 runs for the fourth wicket.

Back on the artificial wicket, with its even bounce, for the first time since June 18 certainly suited Ringham - the veteran opener coming out of a run drought with an innings of 35. He went with the total on 79, with Welcher following not long after with 42 runs to his name.

Jamie Stimpson and Shepherd then added 54 runs for the seventh wicket, to finish on
179-9. Stimpson hit an unbeaten 51 - his top score of the season - while Shepherd displayed his all-round qualities with a knock of 20.