Aldborough (175-4) lost to Old Buckenham A (177-3) by seven wickets in Norfolk Alliance Division Four, a result that relegated Alborough.However, Aldborough CC can begin to look towards next year with a talented group of young players ready to take the club forward and back to winning ways.

Aldborough (175-4) lost to Old Buckenham A (177-3) by seven wickets in Norfolk Alliance Division Four, a result that relegated Alborough.

However, Aldborough CC can begin to look towards next year with a talented group of young players ready to take the club forward and back to winning ways.

As a long and arduous season for The Greens draws to a welcome end, the first XI just failed to stop Old Buckenham from chasing down a low total on a blustery day at Holt Sports Centre.

With Aldborough inserted on a typically lively wicket, Cramp was bowled by Mann early on, leaving skipper Allan and youngster Briggs to take the score on to 68 before Briggs (21) fell to Sturman.

Cannon soon followed caught behind down the leg side, and Allan and Youngman took the score to 100 before Allan (43) became Sturman's second victim.

Veteran all-rounder Ray Smith batted well with Youngman to take the score on to 170, with some excellent blows from both players rescuing the innings for Aldborough.

With Smith (35) eventually bowled by Lincoln, it left Armiger to see out the innings with Youngman (41) who at 17 is sure to have a bright future at Aldborough.

In reply, some tight bowling early on from Dingle and Cramp kept the run rate down but failed to make a breakthrough.

Seaman replaced Cramp and struck in his third over, dismissing Askew for 52.

With Old Buckenham unable to up the run rate the game remained tight with Smith and Allan continuing to bowl tight lines and build pressure. Alexander batted through the innings, however, to post 76 and win the game for Old Buckenham A in the 43rd over.

Despite the loss, the performances of the young players was outstanding.

The future still looks bright for The Greens as six of the 11 players were under 20 and those players are improving with every game.

In Norfolk League Division Four, Great Yarmouth A(176-9) beat Aldborough A (104-9).

This was more a story along the lines of the film '300' than a cricket match, with Aldborough fielding an initial eight players against the might of Yarmouth A.

Yarmouth batted first, and found no trouble in knocking the ball through the gaps in the field, racing to 123-0 off 22 overs.

The bowling attack of Taylor, Holroyd and Mack could not do anything on the wet track to stop the runs coming, and Yarmouth looked on for a massive total.

The arrival of Nicholson and Skinner to the match helped somewhat, and holes were plugged to help to dry up the runs, along with a double change in the bowling attack bringing Knight and Cook into the attack.

Both bowled superbly. Cook bowling tight lines and taking 5-23 off nine, and Knight bowling some excellent spin to take 4-37 off 11.

Yarmouth were stunned to say the least that they had gone from 123-0 to 176 back in the hut.

Mack and Skinner opened the batting for Aldborough, and with Yarmouth bowling some excellent swing bowling, the ball proved hard to get away.

Mack perished after hitting two fine boundaries, only to pick completely the wrong shot and be clean bowled soon after. Holroyd came and went, leaving Nicholson at the crease with Skinner.

Both battled on and the score began to climb until Skinner was bowled by the excellent Lakesh.

Taylor joined Nicholson and both batted very well together, Nicholson creaming the ball around to good effect and scoring a very respectable 42.

The run rate required however was beginning to climb, and the pressure soon showed, with Aldborough being bowled out for 104.

A brave performance by an undermanned side.

Jack Broom deputised as wicket keeper early on and did himself and the team proud.

MoM: Mark Cook (5-23).