Aldborough, 197 for six, 14 points, drew with Old Buckenham A, 179 for nine, 11 pts in Norfolk Alliance Division Four.After a tough and painful start to the season it was left to a new look Aldborough 1st XI to get the club's season up and running.

Aldborough, 197 for six, 14 points, drew with Old Buckenham A, 179 for nine, 11 pts in Norfolk Alliance Division Four.

After a tough and painful start to the season it was left to a new look Aldborough 1st XI to get the club's season up and running.

With new faces came a renewed spirit and it was fantastic team work and effort that achieved a winning draw for The Greens.

Inserted on a slow and low track, Aldborough got a good start with Cannon and Perry-Warnes both finding the boundary early. Perry-Warnes however wanted one too many and was bowled attempting to hit the bowler back over his head.

Skinner came in and poked around in his own inimitable style, and these two took the score on to 61 before Cannon (26) was caught on the boundary attempting to dispatch a full toss for six.

Allan headed to the wicket in a rich vein of form and settled down quickly. Skinner (29) and Allan took the score past 100 before the former was caught out. Plumb came in and supported Allan well with a series of good looking shots.

Plumb fell on 26 leaving Allan to open up in the last few overs and take his own score on to 83 and the total to a just short of par 197-6.

In the field Aldborough were men possessed and particular credit must go to Saunders, Fisher and Skinner who chased hard and applied extra pressure to a nervy Old Buckenham top order. Perry-Warnes, bowling with pace and swing, outdid both openers quickly raising the Aldborough hopes of a victory.

Sam Mann and Briggs batted well to rescue the total back to respectability before Mann was caught by Cannon off Allan for 33 closely followed by Briggs (24).

There followed a long spell of tight, accurate and clever bowling from Ray Smith (12-2-36-2) and Nick Dingle (12-0-34-1) who gave nothing away and forced the run rate required ever higher.

Smart fielding and great energy from The Greens kept the game firmly within their grip.

Dunnet (29) and Braans (19) showed real fight to bring Old Buckenham close but there was no way back and it was left to number 11 Paul Fitt to survive two hostile overs and bat the game out for a draw.