Downham Stow one match from glory

Downham Stow skipper Pat Yates is asking his players for one last push as they look to secure their place in the East Anglian League for the first time in the club’s history.The West Norfolk outfit are within touching distance of promotion to the top flight as they travel to Cambs League winners Ramsey in tomorrow’s play-off final.Looking ahead to the game, Yates said: “We’re hugely looking forward to Saturday, it’s what we’ve been striving for since we merged as a club and it’s up to us now to go out and get the job done.”We don’t know loads about Ramsey but they won the Cambs League comfortably and we know at this stage, whoever you play will be a good side.”It’s about performing on the day the way we know we can, which is just about playing how we normally do both individually and as a team, nothing needs to change.”Even though we have a youngish side there is a lot of experience in the group and I know they can all deal with the pressure as they’ve done that in our last two games to get here.”Ramsey will be a tough nut to crack having beaten Marshall Hatchick Two Counties winners Halstead by 12 runs in the other semi-final last Sunday. But Yates has the club running through his veins and knows it would be a huge achievement to guide them to the next level. “For the club, it would be huge, he said.”EAPL cricket would be an amazing achievement and for youngsters to strive to play at the best level, that’s where we want to be,” he said.”I love playing for Downham Stow so having the opportunity to lead them to the highest level is something I’m looking forward to. Hopefully, we grasp it.” Yates believes his side is better equipped to go and do the business than the team which flirted with the play-offs back in 2021 with a home semi-final defeat at the hands of Witham.”We’re significantly better than we were then,” he said. “Our exciting youngsters have turned into brilliant cricketers, three of them now playing regularly for Norfolk.”We’re a well-balanced team and we will be full strength on Saturday. We were a bit naive last time and in the first year after merging, I don’t think we knew our best team at that point.” They will be without their overseas pro for the final with Pranav Susarla having returned to Australia, but the skipper expects the rest of his side to step up to the plate, as they did in Sunday’s semi-final success against Saffron Walden.”Pranav our Aussie was brilliant for us, but the boys showed they’re plenty good enough to step up on Saturday,” said Yates.”Particularly Freddie Fairey who scored 70-odd, he’s probably been held back this year by injuries and having to bat a bit lower than we’d like so it was great to see.”