BRADFIELD A suffered their third consecutive defeat, at the hands of Lowestoft.Asked to bat first the visitors negotiated a difficult opening period of quick bowling from T Bush.

BRADFIELD A suffered their third consecutive defeat, at the hands of Lowestoft.

Asked to bat first the visitors negotiated a difficult opening period of quick bowling from T Bush. First change bowler S Kimber brought about the breakthrough as he bowled Price for 24.

Lowestoft continued to punish the bad ball especially the wristy Edwin who started with a flurry of fours. Although bowling well, Bradfield could not stem the flow of runs. A wicket was needed and it came from Kimber as Edwin edged him through to the keeper six runs short of a half-century. With wickets vital, Locke and Bush returned to the attack with Locke removing Larter senior and then junior who had made 89. Bush finally got the wicket he deserved.

Emphasis was on a cautious opening approach by Bradfield's opening pair as they tracked down Lowestoft's total of 218. Adopting his usual aggressive approach S Kimber looked to attack the bowling. Early setbacks saw the loss of skipper J Amies and T Bush leaving Bradfield 19-2.

Bowling changes brought immediate results again for Lowestoft as Jenner had Kimber (20) caught off his first delivery and Locke dropped off his second. Spinner Edwin turned the ball both ways with some bounce. Locke succumbed to the unseemingly innocuous bowling of Jenner. With drinks one ball away Edwin, with a quicker delivery, removed the belligerent K Register who had made a well constructed 26.

Edwin then caught Carter off his own bowling, and Bartholomew became Jenner's third victim as he too was caught. Some resistance came from A Robertson (18), but he and L Wheeler fell to Edwin as again Lowestoft held their catches. J Hewetson (5) was the last wicket to fall with T J Wiseman not out on 0. A disappointing batting performance totalling only 108.

Aldborough, with confidence battered and egos bruised from the previous week's defeat at the hands of Hardingham, Boro entertained Winterton on the green in a top of the league clash.

Winning the toss Aldborough batted first. Cooper and Allan moved the score along and passed 50 in good time. The Winterton bowlers and fielders began to squeeze the opening duo and the run rate dropped. Without taking risks or singles Aldborough climbed to 87-0 in the 26th over, which compared to the 130-0 from the previous week looked a little thin.

As the tempo needed to be increased both Allan (41) and Cooper (43) fell, leaving captain Reeve and Bacon at the crease. Bacon, driving a six, looked ominous but it was Reeve who took the attack to the Winterton bowlers. He was ably assisted by Bacon and later on Perry-Warnes and the score moved on.

In the last 15 overs the score moved onward by 110 runs of which Reeve with 11 fours and three sixes contributed 80 not out. Aldborough finished on a below-par 208-5.

In reply Reeve struck early and the team's confidence was momentarily high. However, stalwarts Roper (50) and Clarke (77) batted with belligerence but little panache.

Aldborough persevered but heads dropped quickly - Ash looked in good form but that was transient, Board was unable to find the right length and Dingle was out of sorts for the first time in many seasons. Bacon was also unable to break through.

It was Perry-Warnes who made the breakthrough and in a hostile spell that leaked runs he took two important wickets. Board returned and took two more and Reeve came back and took another and ran out Witheridge.

From staring at a huge defeat Boro were now masters of their own destiny. Winterton had four overs remaining and needed 19 to win with only three wickets in hand. Reeve bowled a tight over, 17 required off three, then Warnes went for nine - eight off two. Board bowled a tight over with only three required off the last over. Reeve (11-2-23-2) took the ball and the first three deliveries passed the edge of the bat for no runs. The field came in. Winterton took their chance on the fourth ball and ran a bye to the wicket keeper. Two off two were required and Roper dug out a yorker that cut the infield and they ran the two they needed for an exciting yet deserved victory.

Aldborough were disappointed but for the fifth match in a row had not performed to their true potential.

Knights Sporting Ltd man of the match: Paul Reeve.

ALDBOROUGH A were beaten by Old Catton A by 93 runs in Norfolk League Division Five.

An early warning from the opposition skipper that 200 had never been scored on their deck was initially not taken too seriously by an under-strength but confident Aldborough side.

On losing a vital toss, Cannon was asked to put his side into the field and a long 45 overs awaited under a baking hot sun. With the top-of-the-table side missing usual bowlers Ash, Holroyd, Holyoak and Smith, it was left to Mack and Pratt to open.

Mack bowled with good energy and was rewarded with a wicket in his sixth over. Pratt, similarly, took the first wicket and an initial flurry of shots from the home side had to be reined in. Spinner Knight was called into action with just 12 overs bowled and he took some early tap for some loose bowling, while Pratt continued on a line and length at the other end. Once Pratt had bowled out his 12 overs (12-3-32-1), untried seamer Cannon was brought into the fray with his slow medium pacers.

His first two overs went for 18, but he started bowling accurate deliveries which eventually brought him a wicket. Meanwhile, Knight and Mack shared duties at the other end with Mack (12-2-35-3) bowling with pace and bounce and Knight causing his usual problems with his off-spin.

Cannon's slow but accurate bowling frustrated the batsmen who one by one swung and missed straight balls, leaving Cannon to take his first ever five-wicket haul with figures of 9.2-2-46-5, with Old Catton all out for 169.

With some untried players in the field, the team did very well and all fielded with tremendous enthusiasm, with special mention to Paul Gallagher and Simon Thorogood.

Aldborough lost star batsman Mack early on, leaving Cannon and Fisher to try to build a platform. The pitch was living up to its reputation. Stout resistance from Fisher was ended when he played on, and from then on the Aldborough batting capitulated with only another three runs added by the remaining eight batsmen. Cannon, with 48, was left to rue a missed opportunity here and the loss of the top spot in the table to an unbeaten Watton side.

Colley, for Old Catton, returned extraordinary figures of 10-4-7-6 with his left-arm medium pacers and Old Catton celebrated a good win as the hapless Aldborough A were dismissed for a paltry 76.

HAPPISBURGH continued their excellent start to the season with another convincing win over a highly rated Bungay A side.

The Happisburgh side packed full of bowlers discovered a slow and low wicket. However skipper Wilson won the toss and decided to bowl.

Catchpole (1-28) and Howe (3-35) gave little away. Good fielding including a direct hit run out from the skipper, and some excellent work behind the stumps from Andrews had Bungay in real trouble with five wickets down and less than 50 on the board.

Bungay fought hard with Rumball making 41, Porter 25 and Haines 31. All the Happisburgh bowlers worked hard, Huckle (0-28) Kelly (0-28) Jeary (2-9) and Wilson (3-18). Bungay finished on a respectable 154 all out.

The Happisburgh batsman made slow and unspectacular progress. Blanch fell when on 20 playing on, as did Huckle when he had worked hard for his 23. Catchpole launched some mighty blows before being stumped for 29.

Peter Dennis glued the innings together with a good 30 before Andrews and Allen (19 and 13 not out) saw the Happisburgh boys home in the 34th over. Another great team performance which they look to continue against Costessey at the rec on Saturday.

Worstead travelled to face Halvergate, keen to get their Mid Norfolk League campaign back on track after consecutive cup defeats.

Having won the toss, the home captain elected to bat first, but the Worstead opening pair of Mark Cushion (three for 17) and Kevin Hemp (nought for 18) applied a stranglehold that was continued by Jim Bullimore (two for 36) and Mark Yaxley (nought for 60 ), who soldiered away without any success.

However, superb bowling and two excellent run-outs by Craig Beeden and Alex Browne respectively meant that the home side were restricted to 143 for seven from the allotted 40 overs.

The Worstead reply got off to a flying start, thanks to classy batting by Craig Beeden (81 not out). Despite losing four partners, Rob Eagleton (1) Jerry Bean (2) Alex Browne (13) and Bob Eagleton (3), with the assistance of Stu Williamson (18 not out), Beedensafely guided the side home to a comfortable win by six wickets with 14 overs remaining.