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Bucks shoot themselves in the foot

Matches played on 17 July 2010: round-up by special correspondent Phil Banyard of the Eastern Daily Press.

Old Buckenham folded in suicidal fashion as Acle won the crucial battle of the Premier Division's bottom two by 14 runs.

Hugo Nel hit an unbeaten 58 after visitors Acle had been invited to bat, with three wickets each for Rob Austin and Phil King.

Bucks looked well-placed to record their first win of the season as they reached 131 for two in pursuit of a target of 205. But when the third wicket stand of 120 between Ian Harrison (63) and Simon Mathewson was broken, it all started to go wrong for Bucks. They stuttered to 187 for seven, before a remarkable sequence of three run-outs saw them dismissed for 190 with three balls remaining, with Mathewson stranded on 76no.

That allowed Acle to close the gap on Brooke to three points, after Brooke's losing draw at home to Norwich & Coltishall Wanderers.

Pite van Biljon made 58 and Ali Ponder scored 53 for Wanderers, with Brooke's Rahul Dewan taking four for 46. Dewan then fired 66 from 65 balls, but Brooke had to hang on with nine wickets down, Scott Hayes taking three for 39.

At the other end of the table it was business as usual for champions Downham as they beat Cromer by three wickets. David Turner made 62 for Cromer and although Downham were made to work hard, they won with 7.1 overs to spare.

Their lead at the top now stand at 95 points after second-placed Vauxhall Mallards A lost at home to Lowestoft by eight wickets. Matthew Reid took four for 47 for the visitors before the prolific Mpho Sekhoto fired 81no to steer his side to victory.

North Runcton replaced Diss in third place after an eight-wicket win at the south Norfolk club, Christian Jonker making 73no.

In Division One, Hales skipper Steve Rowe rolled back the years to help his side beat Bradenham by three wickets, the former Norfolk player claiming seven for 30.

Third-placed Stow defied leaders Sprowston to claim a 90pc losing draw. Sprowston batted first and after slumping to 30 for four, Sam Hales (44) and Will Hampson (41) dug them out of trouble.

Will Denny made 45 in the Stow reply, but they were teetering on the brink at 133 for nine before a last wicket stand of 66 salvaged a draw, with Robert Landymore finishing on 51no. There were three wickets each for Sprowston's Andy Hanby and Geoff Roff.

Beccles moved out of the bottom two with a tense one-wicket win at home to promotion challengers Swardeston A.

Saphie Herathge (48), Jordan Taylor (55) and Chris Gardiner (53no) were in the runs for Swardeston, despite Dave George's four for 47. Rob Porter hit 89 for Beccles but was the ninth man out with seven still needed, before the last wicket pair saw the hosts to victory.

Simon Jessop (90) and Mark Tipping (73) guided Norwich A to a seven-wicket win as the runs flowed again at Bradfield. Sam Kimber (95) and David Register (55) had helped the hosts set a commanding total, with Matt Stacey picking up six for 48.

Sheringham won by 22 runs at Topcroft.

Division Two leaders extended their advantage to 60 points with a three-wicket derby win at Dereham, Australian paceman Ben Bourke taking four for 21.

Second-placed Downham A could only manage a losing draw at Hillington after Sean Fisher (52) and Karl Barber (78) put the hosts in charge. Dave Grady's 55no ensured Downham held on.

Mark Bunting's 106no helped seal North Runcton A's first win of the season as they beat Fakenham A by two wickets.

Ben Smart took four for 21 in Saham Toney's five-wicket triumph over Swardeston B, Jon Olpin making 98 for Swardeston.

Saxlingham crushed Garboldisham by 158 runs, with key performances from Will Burnell (100), Anthony Pearson (76) and Barry Cudden (four for 52).

Devon is cream of Tas crop

Hethersett & Tas Valley took over at the top of Division Three with an eight-wicket win against Ashmanhaugh. Devon Bellchamber took five for 20 for Tas before Tim Shelley (87) fired them to victory.

Previous leaders Horsford A had half-centuries from Louis Bellchamber (66), Jamie Heyburn (51) and Richard Gilliat (64no) but were held to a winning draw at Kirkley & Lowestoft Railway. Craig Guy (56) and Ryan Moore (63) were the hosts' leading batsmen.

Great Witchingham A slipped out of the promotion places after their losing draw at Acle A. Darren Ward hit 65 before Chris Barnham took four for 32 to dismantle the Witchingham reply, leaving the experienced Dennis Rogers (54no) to secure a draw for his side.

Swaffham's Carl Oxborough took four for 51 but his side lost by 77 runs against Dersingham.

Relegation-threatened Mundford collected a much-needed eight-wicket win in their derby clash at Thetford. Peter Terry made 53 for the hosts but Robin Yates (52no) steered Mundford past the winning post.

Great Melton's Division Four title challenge faltered as they could manage only a losing draw at Bradenham A. Peter Hills (70) and Mike Taylor (80no) gave Bradenham the upper hand, but Melton staved off defeat.

Second-placed Sprowston A could not take full advantage as they were denied victory by some dogged batting from bottom side Aldborough.

Jon Fudge (101) and Josh Lincoln (four for 18) starred in Old Buckenham A's 180-run mauling of Norwich B.

Narborough beat Hardingham by 82 runs, with Mike Broad hitting 79. Matt Hastings took four for 38 for Hardingham and although Robbie Fowle made 57 in their reply, Hardingham were bowled out in the final over.

Will Lewis struck 52 as Bungay won by 12 runs in a low-scoring encounter at Halvergate.

Ben Clarke smashed 116 as Cromer picked up a winning draw against title rivals Hethersett & Tas Valley in Division Five. Pete Gascoyne added 51, with Tas' Robert Scott claiming four for 39.

Great Melton A eased their relegation fears with a six-wicket win against bottom side Dereham A. Ian Battelley made 56 for Dereham, but Kapila Liyanapathirana responded with 53 for Melton.

Clive Bennett's 64 enabled Brooke A to beat Norwich & Coltishall Wanderers A by four wickets.

Tim Courridge (132) hammered a third consecutive league century for Diss A as they collected a winning draw at Stow A. Charles Pask added 71 for Diss, before Stow's Keith Thompson (88) and Oli Denton (68) also prospered.

Vauxhall Mallards B boosted their survival hopes with a six-wicket success over Rocklands. Will Defoe made 66 for Rocklands but Harry Barker's 71no saw Mallards to victory.

Carl Scott blasted 169 as Lowestoft A stayed top of Division Six with a 185-run battering of Topcroft A. Alex Haverson (four for 37) was Lowestoft's star performer with the ball.

Andy Kerling (80) and Simon Lewis (70) helped Thetford A gain a 90pc losing draw at Mundford A. Earlier Thetford's Matthew Kerling took five for 46 and there were half-centuries for Mundford's Keiron Long (86) and Adam Crump (51).

Jonathan Puxley hit 75 in Beccles A's four-wicket win at Swardeston-CEYMS, while Bradfield A gained a winning draw at Mattishall A and Garboldisham A beat Saxlingham A by seven wickets.