By that time, the home side had been reduced to 20-3 with 19 of those runs scored by Matthew Catley who was out just before the 45-minute downpour began.

Although the sun came out, the umpires and captains agreed to the abandonment in view of the wet outfield and the likelihood that the light would be too bad for the game to be completed.

Ironically, it proved a good weekend for Exning as their main challengers for promotion to Division One, Witham, Easton and Haverhill, all lost.

These results leave Mistley already promoted with still four matches to play, while Exning require 21 points from their four remaining matches to also reach their goal.

Exning I travel to Easton on Saturday for the first of three successive away fixtures.


Exning Sunday XI v Gt Yeldham

EXNING won by 82 runs against a team which has endured a difficult season in the Suffolk League Division One with a wholesale loss of players since the start of the campaign.

The odds were always in favour of an Exning victory but the visitors gave a game performance before the hosts were able to end their six-game losing run.

Opening the batting for the home side, Simon Lawson and Adam Grainger put 141 on the board before Lawson was stumped having scored a fine 103.

A few balls later, Grainger was dismissed in a similar fashion for 51 to leave bowler Oakley with 2-26. This left the stage clear for teenagers, Nicholas Lomas (22) and Oliver Lawson (15 not out) to show their potential as Exning posted a 40-over total of 211-4.

Paul Andrianatos and Ashley Monie took a wicket apiece in the final few overs.

Ben Coupe's opening over saw the fall of Great Yeldham's first wicket without a run on the board.

However, a tumble of wickets did not materialise as Andrianatos (57) and Baldwin (34) put together a second-wicket partnership of 73 before the slow bowling of Christopher Lomas (4-26) and Simon Lawson (2-13) caused a middle order collapse.

There was no respite for the visitors as Daniel Baigent (2-3) grabbed a brace of wickets to leave Gt Yeldham's final total at 129.

On Sunday, Exning Sunday XI travel to Acton hoping for a second successive victory in their quest to move away from the relegation positions at the bottom of the Division One table.


Exning Youth Section

THE season for the Exning Youth Section reached its finale with the annual single wicket competition followed by the presentation evening.

After a day of entertaining cricket with youngsters aged eight to 16 taking part, Nicholas Lomas was the U-16 winner and was presented with the John King Youth Trophy, while the runner up on a countback, was David Reed.

The Philip Poole Memorial Trophy for the U-13 age group was won by Ben Canning with Tom Eyres as the runner up.

Medals were presented to Michael Cowdrey, winner of the U-11 age group, and the runners up, Sam Canning and Tom Hickman.

The season's awards saw Ben Atkinson named young player of the year with David Reed collecting the U-15 title and Oliver Lawson the U-13 accolade.

The award for most improved player of the year went to Nicholas Lomas.

The club thanked Duncan Reed for organising the single wicket competition and also for his dedicated youth coaching at the club over many years.

He is now stepping down due to work commitments and the fact that his own sons have outgrown the youth section.

Thanks were also given to Peter Allen, Simon Allen and Ben Atkinson for their umpiring and wicketkeeping during the day and to Marion and Adam Brown for the catering for the two events.