Round the cricket clubs

THE penultimate game of the season saw Cromer travel to Brundall to take on Vauxhall Mallards, who won the Alliance Premier Division clash by eight wickets.

Cromer were put into bat. Both openers fell cheaply and the visitors were 23-2 from 10 overs. Then a third- wicket stand of 47 between Turner and Charlwood gave the Cromer innings a bit of stability.

Finney had Charlwood leg before for 20. David Turner followed him back to the pavilion the next over after making 31. Michael Warnes was the only other batsman to reach double figures. Warnes was the ninth wicket to fall after making 26. Cromer were all out for 123 in the 42nd over.

Mallards looked like making light work of reaching their 124 target. South African Rayno Arnedse was dealing in boundaries against his former club and helped his side go along at seven runs per over. He made his 50 from 32 balls but soon after he was dismissed by Dean Elliott for 55 which included 10 fours and two sixes.

After Arendse's wicket the rate slowed momentarily before Ian Harrison played a similar innings. Mallards eased their way to their target in the 18th over, finishing 125-2. Harrison finished 42 not out while

This weekend is the final game of the season, at home to Lowestoft.

BRADFIELD at last got back to winning ways at home to Bradenham in a high-scoring Alliance One game on a top batting track prepared by groundsman William Wright.

Bradenham had no hesitation in batting and got off to a flyer. With the help of several extras the breakthrough came at 75 with the introduction of spin, Wiseman removing Evans for 18 caught behind.

Matthews made a cool 51 until snared leg before to Yarham. Yarham struck again removing Thurley for

26 the score now on 145-3 in the

35th over.

Ninety runs came in the last 11 overs mainly due to a fine 72 from Dewing the only other wicket to fall to a

run out from a fine throw from the boundary from A Kimber. Bradenham finished on 235-4.

Bradfield's reply started badly with Botwright (4), Register (14) and Abbs (0) all back in the pavilion and the score 35-3, mainly due to some fine swing bowling from Gates. Bidewell restored some order with a grafting 17 but fell with the score on 69-4.

Wiseman and Yarham steadily rebuilt the innings. Suddenly the game turned Bradfield's way. In the end they were unstoppable and punished the Bradenham attack and took the win with three overs to spare with Wiseman finishing 84 not out and Yarham 88 not out with an unbroken 171 partnership.

BRADFIELD A travelled to Mattishall knowing that they were sure of Alliance cricket next season whatever the outcome of their Division Six match.

Short on bowling due to a first team call up they were then reduced to 10. Bradfield were asked to bat first on a very bowler-friendly wicket.

Bradfield's openers faced some short- pitched deliveries but in the main coped well.

S Kimber adopted an aggressive attitude and was rewarded with boundaries. In the 13th over, Mattishall made the breakthrough, Kimber caught for 16. This brought the big-hitting C Delucci to the crease who had on a previous encounter smashed them for 124, but not so this time. With the ball stopping and bouncing Delucci (7) was into his stroke a little early the ball not making the boundary but the safe hands of Smith.

The faintest of edges brought about the demise of K Register (4), and skipper Amies (9) soon followed having survived for 21 overs. Promoted up the order, T Patrickson took Kimber's lead to attack the bowling, but was undone by a full-pitched delivery.

Reaching double figures, N Bartholomew (12) looked as if he had weathered the storm only to see his off stump removed from a ball nipping back. Hubbard's cupboard was not bare this week as he bowled L Wheeler (3), J Hewetson (4) and A Johnson (1), leaving T J Wiseman not out on two. An all-round disappointing batting display that could only muster 87 runs.

Batting was not easy for Mattishall and Bradfield's opening bowlers T Patrickson and TJ Wiseman were unlucky not to pick up a wicket or two. Miserly N Bartholomew also beat the edge on numerous occasions but was rewarded as C Delucci took a stunning slip catch around throat high.

Five tidy overs for 15 came from under-15 A Johnson, and J Hewetson provided two overs of spin. Mattishall took 22 overs to reach their target, losing no more wickets. A difficult task for man of the match was given to N Bartholomew for his knock of 12 and eight overs, one wicket for 12 runs

ALDBOROUGH bounced back in emphatic style in Norfolk League Division One on Saturday after the disappointment of the previous week's defeat to Winterton.

A maximum-points victory in short time and the fact that Rollesby held out to prevent the same for Hardingham meant that Aldborough are second by virtue of one point.

Aldborough 228-7 (26 points) beat Ketteringham Hall 81 (5) by 147 runs.

Winning the toss, Aldborough batted first and started cautiously. Cooper went early but Fell (30) and Allan (53) set up a platform. Both batsmen departed when the score was on 91, with Allan passing 800 league runs for the season.

Tom Goodley played classically but with immense power he stroked his way to 95 in just 49 balls with nine fours and six sixes. Selflessly looking for team runs, he was caught on the boundary in the last over leaving Aldborough on 228-7.

In reply and making use of a hard wicket, Reeve and Board were in ruthless form. Board, so often the foil to his opening partner, was in the wickets this week. He removed the first five batsman with the highlight being a wonder catch by Ben Plumb at square leg to remove Bush.

At the other end Reeve bowled maiden after maiden and finished with figures of 12-6-14-2. Board relished in the conditions and with attacking fields continued his spell to take 6-40 from his 12.

By this time Ketteringham Hall were 58-8 and reeling from the body blows they had been dealt. It was Dingle who finished the job in business-like style after a flurry of runs came from the tail-enders.

This week Aldborough's cricket was back to the highest standard. If they can continue this and adopt the right mind set for what will be a very tough match away to Caister then they are capable of getting the points they need.

However the destination of the title may well lay in the vagaries of the coin toss in all three contenders matches this week. Whatever the outcome the season has been a dramatic one and surely more twists are to follow on the last weekend.

Knights Sporting Limited, MoM: Tom Goodley, brilliant.

Aldborough A (204-6) beat Lowestoft B (70-10) by 134 runs in Norfolk League Division Five.

With three or four teams still in the hunt for the second promotion spot Aldborough were under pressure to hold onto second place and faced the long trip to Lowestoft knowing a loss would effectively end promotion hopes.

On an uneven wicket The Greens were put into bat and a solid start from openers Cannon (30) and Holroyd (45) assured the 50 was brought up without too much alarm in the 14th over.

Cannon fell soon after bringing youngster Ben Briggs to the crease. He partnered the dogged Holroyd well, hitting some classy boundaries on his way to a measured 20.

Cramp (33) came in and continued the good work with Holroyd batting quietly on at one end and Cramp driving and pulling as a large total looked on. Holroyd perished five short of a maiden league 50 with the score at 145 and Bundock quickly followed trying to up the run rate.

Matt Skinnner (34 not out) then came in and set about the Lowestoft attack dispatching a mighty six back over the bowler's head to get him up and running.

Cramp was very well caught at slip leaving Nicholson (13) and Skinner to blast 55 in the last 10 overs meaning Aldborough closed on 204-6.

Excellent bowling from Holroyd saw off the two openers with a great catch from Tuthill the pick of the wickets. Bodymore bowled well from the other end with genuine pace and bounce, surprising the Lowestoft batsmen.

He struck in his sixth over removing Decoteau and Willimot shortly after. Holroyd was replaced by Smith and Bodymore bowled through a spell of eight overs returning impressive figures of 8-1-28-2.

With such a high score to chase on a challenging wicket the batsmen had no answer to the tight seam attack and after some resistance from Ludkin he was bowled by Ray Smith, leaving the tail open to the Aldborough seamers.

They duly ripped through it with the ever improving Tuthill bagging 4-2-5-4 in a mature display of seam up bowling. Holroyd returned to mop up and claimed the final wicket of Richardson to end with figures of 7.4-3-16-3 to add to an excellent 45 runs making him the Knights Sporting Ltd

MoM: Mark Holroyd.

WORSTEAD, playing their penultimate Sunday League fixture of the season, entertained Burgess Shield Division Two champions-elect Bradfield knowing that points were at a premium to ensure they did not get dragged into a last-day relegation dogfight.

After winning the toss Worstead got off to a steady start until the loss of Craig Beeden (14) brought Alec Toll (19) to the crease with the score on 21.

Rob Eagleton (14) and Toll steadied the ship until Toll was caught with the score on 60. This caused a mini collapse as Sam Allen (0) and Alex Browne (5) both fell with the score on 76, as did Tim Beeden (16) with the score on 89 in rather controversial circumstances.

However, the experienced Worstead lower order added major runs as Bob Eagleton (20) and Mark Cushion (17) put on 34 for the sixth wicket. But Cushion fell and after adding a further 10 runs with Kevin Hemp (21) Eagleton suffered the same fate.

But Hemp steadied the ship as he and Mark Yaxley (1 not out) put on a crucial 25 runs for the ninth wicket until Hemp fell and soon afterwards so did George Rossi (0) leaving Worstead on a competitive but slightly disappointing score of 158 all out.

The Bradfield batsman got off to a decent start but never looked comfortable in the face of excellent and hostile opening bowling from both Kevin Hemp (5-21) and Mark Cushion (1-18).

Wickets fell at regular intervals as Worstead rung the bowling changes to prevent the batsmen settling in, realising that they had to bowl the visitors out to win the game because the talented Bradfield batsmen would not be contained.

The crucial turning points in the game were down to superb fielding, firstly by Craig Beeden taking two stunning running catches and then when Alex Browne affected the brilliant direct-hit run-out of D Abbs (34) just when the experienced batsman was threatening to win the game.

Another running catch by Kevin Hemp kept the pressure on the visitors and despite a brave effort from T Patrickson (25) the visitors were bowled out for 125 in the 30th over.

The result was a much-needed win by 33 runs for Worstead and a very welcome 21-point return. The other successful Worstead bowlers were Craig Beeden (2-22) and George Rossi (1-15).

BODHAMREDHART, after being the whipping boys of the Sheringham and District 20-Over League for a number of years, have finally come good, winning the league for the first time.

The team thoroughly deserved their title as they were the only team in the league to play all 12 of their matches and they won 10 of these to finish the season well clear of their nearest rivals.

In their final match of the season they beat Holt Railway by 27 runs, scoring 130-9 in their 20 overs and then dismissing their opponents for 103.

Ironically one of the two matches they lost was back in June against the league's bottom team, West Runton Village Inn, who racked up a hugely impressive 175-4 and then dismissed Red Hart for 88. The other came a month later at East Runton where Sheringham Crown scored 124 to win by 64 runs.

These were just two blips in their season and the results showed what can be achieved if players believe in themselves and stick together.

Holt Railway and Sheringham Crown shared second place after The Railway won their final match by five wickets, scraping 118-5 in reply to the Crown's 116-5.