Weekend for century makers

Troy Allan smashed 149 for Aldborough, and Paul Reeve claimed eight for 30 as they steamrollered Great Yarmouth by 240 runs in Norfolk League Division One.

Allan hit eight sixes and 14 fours and with Gerald Cooper (77) shared in an opening stand of 203.

Aldborough were smarting from recent defeats. On a worn pitch Yarmouth won the toss and inserted Boro. With puffs of dust and the track breaking early on Allan and Cooper needed to be resolute and patient.

The score after six overs was at a lowly nine runs when the pitch apparently died down after the newness of the ball had diminished and the pair set upon a mammoth partnership.

Both batsman, driving and cutting in equal aplomb, forced bowling changes and rarely let this interrupt their rhythm. Cooper reached his 50 first with a driven four. Allan, in similar fashion, followed suit shortly and quietly moved to 60.

Cooper on 71 then was forced to watch some superb batting from the other end. Allan took centre stage, and before Cooper could add another run scored the 40 required for him to secure his second league century so far this year.

The match ball was hit so hard that the leather casing came off. Cooper was out for an excellent 77.

One wicket brought two with Reeve going first ball. Bacon then joined the rollercoaster ride and proceeded to smash a great 33 in a partnership of 62 in six overs. The majestic Allan continued until he was eventually caught on a career-best 149.

The innings was finished off in style with Matt Saunders once again coming in and smashing the ball for the team to finish on 289-4.

In Yarmouth's reply, Aldborough captain Reeve was in no mood for charity. Ably supported by Michael Board he ripped through the home side's top order.

Bowling with pace and good lines he removed the first five for 17 runs with star batsman and keeper Allan taking two sharp catches.

Board was unlucky not to join the party but Reeve continued to take the next two and have Yarmouth reeling at 26 for seven.

Oxborough showed some resistance but Board accounted for the eighth wicket and with the 11th man refusing to bat Reeve took what was the final wicket with a good catch from Skinner to bowl the home side out for 49 and finish with a career-best eight-wicket haul and figures of 10.4-2-30-8. Knights Sporting Ltd man of the match: Troy Allan.

BRADFIELD lost to Matishall by

four wickets in Norfolk Alliance Division One.

Bradfield started well with Register (40) and Wiseman (30) putting the visitors in a good position but four wickets fell in quick succession, leaving Bradfield 100 for four.

Bidewell and Abbs put on an 80 partnership. Bidewell perished for 48 playing on looking for quick runs, leaving Abbs to see Bradfield up to

235-8 with 59 not out.

Matishall attacked from the start and never took their foot of the pedal with boundaries coming at ease.

Bradfield at one time had the opposition 90 for four but a partnership between Cole (55) and Chetwood (67 no) did the damage with Matishall picking up a much-needed win.

This leaves Bradfield just hanging on to second place with the chasing pack closing in. Next, Bradfield entertain league leaders Old Buckingham and on Sunday there is a derby with Worstead.

BRADFIELD A: On winning the toss, visitors Garboldisham asked Bradfield A to bat first on a hard, flat surface. Returning from injury, C Delucci bolstered the Bradfield batting, giving them a good base.

An early setback of losing skipper Amies was soon forgotten as Delucci plundered 42 with new partner A Robertson adding 22.

Looking untroubled, lack of concentration led to the untimely run out of Delucci, who had hit eight fours and three sixes in his 58.

On target for a big score, Bradfield incurred another setback with Robertson caught as Goodman was brought back into the bowling attack.

This triggered a mid-order collapse as Register fell lbw to Hogg and Goodman claimed the wickets of Bartholomew, Yaxley, Carter and Seago. Resistance came from E Locke with a valuable knock of 24 and L Wheeler and T J Wiseman who put on 16 runs at the end.

Garboldisham's innings mirrored that of Bradfield's in losing wickets at similar intervals. Colin Delucci brought about the initial breakthrough and A Robertson took three wickets to keep Bradfield in the game, but once again catches were not taken. No further wickets fell as Garboldisham reached the total they required.

For his innings of 58 Colin Delucci was named Papworth Farms man of the match.

Cromer A 230-6 dec (9pts) lost to Beccles A 231-8 (23) by two wickets in Alliance Five.

Cromer A contrived to lose a match they had controlled from the start at Beccles. In a dramatic climax the hosts squeezed home with four balls to spare, and left Cromer kicking themselves at their second failure in three games to defend a 200-plus total.

With Beccles 85 for six and staring a massive defeat in the face, they scored another 146 runs for the loss of only two more wickets. Andy Harber set about the Cromer bowling to finish with a hard-hitting 69no to which a lacklustre fielding and inconsistent bowling effort had no reply. Only John Battrick with 1-17 off eight overs and Paul Winterbone with 3-61 from 13 gained control, and Cromer lost count of the amount of chances that flew agonisingly wide of the fielders.

Cromer's total of 230-6 declared was due largely to skipper Alan Lithins, who took his side from a shaky 54 for three to a healthy total with some superb shots all around the ground.

Lithins ruthlessly punished anything short, swept the spinners with impunity, and only perished when his side was well set and the hunt for quick runs was on. He fell for a magnificent 110, and it was left to Battrick to push the score along with some sumptuous strokes in his 57.

Although Cromer rise to third in the table after Great Melton lost to Rocklands, Lithins' men will need to raise their game by a few levels to beat old foes Brooke at home on Saturday (1pm, Norton Warnes).

Sheringham A entertained high flying-Terrington in West Norfolk League Division Two, looking to avenge an early season defeat, but lost by 94 runs.

Sheringham elected to bowl first, starting up with C Moy and G Youngs. Terrington's opening pair were moving along nicely before Youngs struck.

Terrington kept in control however, despite some stingy bowling from C Taylor and an accurate spell from S Smith. The second wicket added 95 before Smith got the breakthrough. Smith struck twice more to pull Terrington back to 160 for four after

32 overs.

However, Terrington's long batting line-up continued to flourish. Gollands blasted 61 before holing out off Youngs (2-52). Smith finished with 4-52, with Taylor (8-1-24-0), also impressing as Terrington reached 243-7 from their allotted 45 overs.

Sheringham's M Hudson and C Taylor gave the innings a base. The pair punished the loose balls from what was a generally accurate Terrington attack to reach 56 in the 12th over.

However, Taylor (28) was then bowled, with Hudson (27) removed soon after seeing the score reach 71 for two. The scoring rate began to dry up with the Terrington bowlers offering little to hit. A Jenkins batted sensibly but the middle order collapsed to 102 for six.

T Howes (17) gave Jenkins some much-needed support, sharing 30 for the eighth wicket.

The pair departed in quick succession, Jenkins (50) immediately after reaching his half-century.

Terrington soon completed the job, with Sheringham all out for 149 in the 40th over.

The Hayes & Storr man of the match for a fine all-round performance was Callum Taylor.

ASHMANHAUGH won the toss and elected to bat against Thetford.

Openers Bernie Everett and Robert Bean saw off the opening few overs from Lingard and Turner but a change of bowling saw Bean bowled by leg-spinner M Terry for four.

Sam Mackay joined Everett at the crease and after a cautious start they proceeded to dominate all the bowling.

Runs piled up and it was not until the 37th over that Mackay was eventually caught off Turner's bowling for a well- made 108. Just before the innings closed, Everett also reached a century, unbeaten on 102 after the 46 overs.

In reply, Thetford openers Terry and Turner started well, with Turner racing away to 33 before he was well caught in the deep by Doug Riley off Sam Mackay. The Thetford innings got a bit bogged down and they seemed to elect to play for a draw.

Despite Ashmanhaugh's best efforts and three wickets for Sam Mackay and two to Mike Harman, they were not able to dismiss Thetford and the innings closed on 156 for seven, with the Thetford opener P Terry still at the crease unbeaten on 54.

Result: winning draw for Ashmanhaugh.

BACTON'S friendly fixture at Beccles was reduced to 30 overs

a side.

Bacton were made to field and took a wicket in the first over when Larter had Fisher well caught by O White without a run on the board.

In the next over O White could not hang on to a fierce drive from Aldridge and was forced to leave the field with a badly broken finger. Aldridge and his partner Milton then punished the Bacton attack before Olley had Milton stumped by Cobb with the first ball of his opening spell.

Beccles captain put the ball to all parts of the ground before Aldridge was caught and bowled by Hill with the score on 96. With the Bacton fielders dropping catches, the home side reached 175 for three of their 30 overs with Sneddon and Wright remaining unbeaten with 80 and 23 respectively.

Bacton's reply was slow against some tight bowling from Wright and Bale. Only Olley (27), Gale (20), Martin (14) and Larter (11) reached double figures for the visitors and with White unable to bat the innings fizzled out for a paltry 93 with four overs remaining.