CRICKET: March Town hover over drop zone after back-to-back Eaton Socon defeats

March Town have been thrown into a relegation dogfight following back-to-back defeats against Eaton Socon, who won Saturday’s Whitings League Division One match by a four wicket margin.

The visitors elected to bat first and had 43 runs on the board before the wickets began to tumble.

Brandon Phillips overcame a ‘double duck weekend’ last time out to hit a top score of 48 in the 169 total, with his brother Tyler unbeaten on 19.

But he could only watch as Eaton Socon’s Matthew Taylor completed a hat-trick during a five wicket haul.

The skipper then put in one of his customary shifts with the new ball - conceding just 14 runs from his 10 overs and at 83-5 March were right back in the game.

But a sixth wicket stand of 82 scuppered those thoughts as the home side eased home with just under five overs remaining. Teenager Sam Clarke picked up a very useful 3-32, including the scalp of the previous week’s centurion Jonathon Carpenter.

One small comfort was neighbours Wisbech hammering fellow strugglers Histon, who could only take two points from their match – March, who host mid-table side Godmanchester this weekend, picking up 10.

And it was a similar story in the Cambs Senior Division Two, as March 2nds were handed a 75-run defeat to Histon 2nds.

On paper the 2nds were the bookies’ favourites to romp home in their visit to Histon 2nd XI, with Aussie all-rounder Matt Wilcox bolstering the side, along with Callum Young and Stuart Mills.

But the home side managed to turn the predictions on its head to comfortably win the clash.

Wilcox did strike early blood but Histon went on to make 231-6 and then in reply pinned March against the ropes at 61-6 before a late flurry of runs took them to 156 all out.

Wilcox battled hard for his 33, with third team skipper Anthony Henson coming in at number eight, making a top score of 43.

The 2nds, who sit second-from-bottom in the standings, travel to Chippenham on Saturday (1.45pm).