Club skipper calls for swift response

Darren Batch has called for Sudbury to replicate last year’s bounce-back-ability when they travel to Great Witchingham this weekend.

The Talbots saw their unbeaten start to the defence of their Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League title come to an end on Saturday, losing by 169 runs against Horsford at Friars Street, a result which dropped them down a place to third in the table.

But ahead of a trip to Walcis Park this Saturday (11am), club captain Batch is targeting a return to winning ways at the first time of asking, a feat which served Sudbury well during their title-winning season last year.

“We lost four games last year (on the way to winning the league),” Batch said. “No team is going to go through the whole season unbeaten.

“The big thing for us last year, which we’ve got to try and replicate this year, is that when we do lose, we bounce back well.

“We’ve got an away trip to Great Witchingham this Saturday and that represents an excellent chance for us to get back to winning ways at the first opportunity.

“It’s about how we respond individually, and as a group, which will define how we do for the rest of the year.”

Last year, Sudbury tasted just four defeats all season on their way to lifting the Premier League title for the first time, losing away to Frinton on Sea, Swardeston and Great Witchingham and at home to Vauxhall Mallards.

But, crucially, the Talbots made a positive response, winning their next game on each occasion. In fact, after the away reverse to Great Witchingham, Sudbury won their next five games and then saw their final day clash against Swardeston abandoned to secure them top spot.

Sudbury went into last weekend’s home encounter against Horsford with a 10-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, dating back to August 5 last year.

But after losing the toss to their Norfolk visitors, Sudbury found wickets hard to come by, as Luke Findlay (77), William Rogers (50) and Callum Metcalf (67no) all posted half centuries to take Horsford to 307-4 after 64 overs.

Sudbury skipper Tom Huggins top scored in reply with 43, but the home side were reduced to 76-6 and were bowled all out for 138.

“It wasn’t a good day from start to finish,” Batch admitted. “It was a bad toss to lose and nothing seemed to go right for us.”