Round 8 and Sutton the visitors to El Campo. Beating eventual promoted sides Histon and Fordham at home show that the big games often bring out the best in Ditton. This followed that trend, a comprehensive 10 wicket win in as good a Ditton performance as I can remember. It also levels the scores at 2-2 between the teams across this season and last, with a healthy camaraderie and mutual respect between both sides evident throughout.

Team news, Fowler and Joe Reeds in, Dobbo and AB out.

With only 10 here at the toss as Paul C did not arrive until 3pm, Skip briefly debated batting, but his troops convinced him otherwise. Partly on the basis of a slow-looking outfield (even slower than it looked, it turns out) and a wicket that would do plenty. Partly on the basis of H's brilliant comment that one less fielder would make no particular difference as so many of the sixes Sutton hit in match two weeks ago were 'more like 12's'.

Longy and Jacko both took wickets in their opening overs. Longy got Vincent nicked off for a third ball duck (to unsurprising jubilation given he got 136* vs us just two weeks ago). Jacko bowled M Grady round his legs for a duck too. 2 wickets for just a run and a cracking start.

Longy and Jacko are a good bowling partnership in that they both ask very different questions, and the pair helped Ditton take control. Jacko induced Bowles into chipping him to Fez at point, and despite not always look convincing under it our West Indian held on. Thankfully no repeat of two weeks ago.

That brought to the wicket the very dangerous Herselman, who even at 3 down for not many only really knows one way of playing. Jacko's first ball was hit for 4 but soon afterwards had his man, a skied top edge that H called and ran from infant of the stumps. Much like Fez's catch it wasn't always convincing but it was taken and that's what counts. We've already found out at Cherry Hinton and Sutton that dropping simple catches against good batsman is a pretty sure-fire way to make your live difficult but there was to be no repeat here.

Back to this game and Longy bowled 2 or 3 consecutive maidens to Sutton opener Corn, and the pressure eventually told, deservedly bowling him, chopped on for 18.

Longy was replaced by Skip, who had a wicket in his first over, Barnard gone for a duck edging to Joe, who took a neat low catch in the slips.

Jacko got a bit of tap and came off with excellent figures of 8-0-37-3. Longy switched ends as Ditton looked to squeeze the lemon and it worked a treat.

Longy bowled James "I hate it when bowlers bowl straight" Nuttall for the second time this season, whilst Wilson bowled Few for 16. Longy also bowled Emms for 2 but couldn't quite get what would have been a thoroughly deserved 5-. 10-5-11-4 are figures that speak for themselves though.

Sutton were 52-9 at drinks, but their hungover number 11 stuck around for a 0 not out, his batting apparently improved by his sore head not being that mobile.

In the 8 overs after drinks Joe and Fez got a ball and both kept it tight, recording figures of 3-2-6-0 and a maiden from Fezzington in his only over. Skip took 6-3-10-2.

D Grady made 13 to help Sutton eek their way up to 67, but McCann suggested a run out was coming chasing a second run to keep the strike. The very next ball he was proved right, Longy dashed behind him to retrieve an edge offJacko, and providing a throw that was good enough for H to complete the dismissal.

Sutton 67 all out in 28 overs. A superb effort from the bowlers and the fielding was solid too.

In reply Rob and McCann took Ditton to 26-0 off 8 overs before coming off due to rain. I say that, ironically, they played through the very worst part of the shower then came off when it had almost gone.

The bowlers run-ups had become quite slippy, and Ralph/Gilo went off for a shopping trip to get some sawdust to help address it.

When play did resume the openers picked up where they left off, with Rob particularly looking class. Nuttall and 'Rhino' are as good a pair of opening bowlers as we'll see in this league, the latter bowling a good tight line from left-arm over, inswinging to the right-hander. Rob and McCann saw them off responsibly though, and when the change bowling game Rob tucked in, firstly against Grady and then Boston.

Rob brought up a 3rd consecutive fifty after giving a couple of chances, whilst a restrained and sensible McCann, in the words of Nuttall "held up an end well", his best shot a cut off the seamer nailed straight at point.

Rob is a class act to watch, add to that his current form and it's a pleasure to watch from the other end. By his own admission he received almost all the 'hittable' deliveries, but he also put them away with aplomb. Rob finished things by taking Boston for 22 of an over, including a couple of sixes, to complete victory.

Rob 58 not out, McCann unbeaten on 7. 68-0 off 15 overs. Ditton the winners by 10 wickets and shows what we are capable of. That has to be the standard to consistently aspire to.

That takes us to 5-3 for the season, and it was nice to see all the Sutton side at the Kings Head afterwards. A third straight home game next against Over, hopefully a third straight win too. Hopefully sometime this week the outfield might get a cut - we can all dream. After a performance like this one there's no reason not too really.