Leaders Downham beat second place North Runcton in Norfolk Alliance
Hosts Downham defeated second placed North Runcton on Saturday to go 50 points clear at the top of the Norfolk Cricket Alliance table.
Town started shakily against Norfolk bowler, Ben Coote (3 for 29), losing the early wickets of Gould, Harrison and Gregory.
Town rebuilt as Alex Stuart passed 50 for the third time this season before being stumped off the bowling of Jack Major for 56. Captain, Pat Yates, batted steadily as wickets fell around him. Only Addam Todd with 26 really stayed with the skipper.
Yates ensured that Downham batted out their overs reaching a competitive if not slightly under par 219 for 9. Yates was finally out to Kirwin Christoffels for 79 on the last ball of the innings.
Runcton rightly came out to bat in confident mood after a good bowling performance and openers Skipper (18) and Rawlings (26) started steadily before Nathan Green clean bowled Skipper after he misjudged a straight one.
South African Christoffels (29) also looked comfortable before dragging a wide ball onto his own stumps off Dom Corbett. Town needed wickets and Chris Sharp bowled ten brilliant overs, taking 1 for 21, while Green and Todd also grabbed wickets.
However, North Runcton were always favourites whilst captain Coote was in. Yates brought back Sam Sharp for one last roll of the dice and although his first over went for 11, his second was a wicket maiden including the big scalp of Coote caught behind for 41.
Runcton only required 17 off the final four overs with two wickets in hand, but Harrison Gregory, who has bowled brilliantly at the death, had Lankfer caught at long off by Yates for 13. Downham saved one over for Green (4-38) and he blew away Annakin’s middle stump to spark wild celebrations as Downham won by 11 runs.
Shire Foods MoM: Pat Yates.
Sandringham’s Kristan Heffer grabbed a hat-trick including four wickets in five balls during his match-winning bowling analysis of 9-3-25-5 at home to Hales & Loddon.
Roy Bland hit 101, including 17 fours and three sixes, off 62 balls for Hockwold.
Snettisham’s Jonathan Forder also hit a ton.
OTHER ALLIANCE SCORES, DIVISION TWO
Ashmanhaugh and Barton Wanderers 226-1 (41.3: Colin Edwards 1-56) 24pts beat Downham Town 2nd XI 223-8 (45; Paul Harwood 13, Duncan Lanchester 76, Jason Porter 29, Ashleigh Corbett 14, Ian Simmonds 23, Andrew Arndt no22) 5pts. Swaffham 144-1 (23.2: Jasper Payne not out 87, Alexander Payne no44) 25pts bt Mattishall 142 all out (44.2: J Payne 1-24, Matthew Brockman-Smith 2-19, David Annakin 2-35, Ian Walsh 3-31, Alex Vincent 1-8) 2pts
DIVISION THREE
Fakenham 2nds 190-4 (42.1: Sam Blackiston 69, Oscar Campbell 36, Mark Jarvis 37, Ashley Jarvis no25) 23pts bt Bradenham 186-9 (45: Campbell 3-53, Joseph Bane-Young 1-25, Steven Earl 3-36, Jonathan Sadler 2-17) 6pts. Winterton 117 all out (38.2: Daniel King 1-7, Paul Lough 1-13, Ben King 2-14, Aaron Howell 5-30) 5pts lost to Bircham 211-9 (45: Will Pillinger 24, Adam Ward 61, Lough 26, Nathan King 45, John King 15, Howell 20) 25pts.
DIVISION FOUR
Hethersett & TV 2nds 253-9 (45: Jonathan Storey 2-27, Roy Bland 4-44, Euan Gilmour 1-33, David Spencer 2-31) 7pts lost to Hockwold 279-5 (45: Bland 101, E Gilmour 55, Joel Gilmour 58, Simon Groom 32) 24pts.
North Runcton 2nd XI 250-4 (45: Andrew Barrett 33, Tim Coote 98, Tom Bunting 52, Michael Skeritt no25) 25pts bt Rocklands 224 all out (44.3: A Barrett 5-18) 7pts.
Sheringham 131-2 (28.4: Samuel Morgan 1-24, Jack Bishop 1-17) 24pts bt Stow 2nds 130 all out (43.3: Morgan 29, Andrew Knott no42) 3pts.
Snettisham 266-7 (45: Lewis Jeavons 90, Jonathan Forder 101, Mark Utteridge 39) 25pts bt Sprowston 2nds 193 all out (44.1: Damien Twiddy 2-20, Adam Daniels 3-39, Matt Herbert 1-31, Aaron Herbert 2-11) 7pts.
DIVISION FIVE
Cromer 2nds 237-9 (45: Chris Rolfe 2-39, Dan Cornwell 3-71, Kevin Cornwell 2-42) 25pts bt Denver 210 all out (44.1: Paul Morton 38, Marcus Glover 32, Dan Harper 32, Rolfe 20, Joe Manning 33) 9pts.
DIVISION SIX
Sandringham 261-4 (45: Richard Hurst 62, Marcus Ringwood 64, Sid Dobing not out 41, Ben Melton 26, James Hearmon no30) 25pts bt Hales & Loddon 109 all out (31: Callum Gurbutt 2-27, Kristan Heffer 5-25, Ben Melton 1-10, Jake Burton 2-19) 3pts.
