Vauxhall Mallards were at home to Cambridge Granta in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League on Saturday and had to be content with a winning draw.

After heavy overnight rain the day was bright and breezy.

Cambridge won the toss and put Mallards in to bat. Matt Plater and Harry Barker opened and they made a measured start and accumulated runs steadily.

Chris Pepper came on as Cambridge’s first change bowler after 15 overs when Mallards were on 41. The middle period of the game went Cambridge’s way as Mallards suffered the loss of five wickets for 43 runs.

Plater, playing another pivotal innings for the home side, was on 40 when Luke Caswell joined him at the wicket. They added 66 for the sixth wicket to bring Mallards back to a better position on 150 for six after 50 overs, Plater finished on 80.

Caswell went on to make 39 as Mallards’ lower order added a further valuable 79 runs. Alistair Shearer and Brett Stolworthy each made 22 and Paul Bradshaw was out for 10 off the last ball of the innings off the maximum 64 overs, to Chris Pepper who finished with 5-56 off 11 overs.

Cambridge began their reply to the Mallards’ total of 219 with some confident strokes but where soon held in check by Bradshaw and Ben France who took a wicket each and bowled nine maidens out of the first 18 overs. By tea at 24 overs Cambridge were 59-2 but were adrift of Mallards’ run rate and they were never able to catch up.

Mallards didn’t manage to get the last two wickets needed for a win but they did restrict Cambridge to 138, all scored off the bat, as the home side didn’t concede any extras in a match that ended as a winning draw.

A game of complete contrast followed on Sunday when Mallards met Horsford in the NatWest National T20 competition. Horsford amassed an imposing total of 282 in their 20 overs. Stephan Marillier hit a magnificent 165 runs off 64 balls, including 13 sixes and 15 fours. It was an awesome display of batting which Mallards’ bowlers could not contain.

Mallards’ first three batsmen John Ewart, Tom Miller and Connor Green went out with the same intent and kept the scores matched until the 10th over. They made 39, 30 and 34 respectively.

Mallards lost wickets though and fell behind to be eventually dismissed for 161 off 14.2 overs.