Bradenham miss golden opportunity

Bradenham (11pts) drew with Norwich A (14) in Norfolk Alliance Division One and threw away a golden opportunity to consolidate their mid-table position with a disappointing batting display after their bowlers had restricted bottom-of-the-table Norwich A to 205 for nine on The Green last Saturday.

Asked to bat first, the visitors got off to a solid start on a good wicket and fast outfield.

Two wickets down brought in the hard-hitting Tom Goodley.

Bradenham thought they had him caught behind as the total reached 81, he was adjudged not out but holed out in the next over.

Lewis Denmark joined the attack and began to find his rhythm as the game entered a crucial stage with Norwich looking set for a big score.

Denmark held on to a fierce catch off his own bowling to remove Mark Tipping for a solid looking 67 as the innings slipped to 154 for five. In the final run chase towards the end of the innings Brett Stolworthy held on to an even better caught and bowled opportunity as the innings closed.

Gates was the pick of the bowlers, unchanged for 13 overs taking two for 39. There were wickets for Stolworthy (2-45), Denmark (2-47) and one each for Rob Thurley and Chad Balluza.

The Bradenham openers Rob Thurley and Steve Matthews looked in little trouble as the total reached 25 before Matthews, having hit three fours, skied a catch.

Selowa looked to attack straight away before he too skied another catch and again was well caught for eight with the total 35.

Lewis Denmark and Thurley took the total to 80 in the 22nd over before Denmark inexplicably left a ball from spinner Ben Flanagan and was bowled for 23.

The game was still there for the taking although with the total 113 Mike Taylor, on his return to first team action, was adjudged lbw.

With still 20 overs left and less than 100 runs required the game was finely balanced and much depended upon Thurley as new batsman Mark Hunter struggled to get going.

Thurley reached a well deserved half-century, following on from his previous week's century relishing in his return to the top of the order, before he became the fifth wicket of the innings, lbw for an excellent 54. Kevin Blakey (10) and Hunter (11) went and a draw looked the likely result with 40 still required from the last five overs.

Patrick Dewing (20) batted well before being bowled but 18 runs were plundered off the last over by Brett Stolworthy and Chad Balluza as the innings closed at 196 for eight, agonisingly only 10 runs short of the victory target.

Bradenham, who are sponsored by Blue Print Mortgages and Trek Highway Services, must know look to a key match at Beccles this weekend to see off any lingering relegation threat.

Norwich A: S Jessop c Blakey b Gates 18, M Tipping c-b Denmark 67, M Grelier c Matthews b Thurley 0, T Goodley c Hunter b Gates 17, M Stacey b Stolworthy 35, J Wills c-b Denmark 23, T Vaughan b Balluza 9, T Ingram run out 6, C Binnie c-b Stolworthy 4, B Flanagan not out 6, L Resghid not out 1; extras 9. Total 205. Bowling: B Stolworthy 12-2-45-2, B Gates 13-4-39-2, R Thurley 10-1-41-1, L Denmark 10-1-47-2, C Balluza 5-0-30-1.

Bradenham: R Thurley lbw Wills 54, S Matthews c A N Other b Resghid 12, M Selowa c A N Other b Resghid 8, L Denmark b Flanagan 23, M Taylor lbw Flanagan 9, M Hunter c Stacey b Ingram 11, K Blakey b Wills 10, P Dewing b Stacey 20, B Stolworthy not out 15, C Balluza not out 4; extras 30. Total (8 wkts) 196. Bowling: M Stacey 12-3-40-1, K Resghid 9-3-28-2, T Ingram 10-1-53-1, B Flanagan 13-3-43-2, J Wills 6-0-27-2.

Bradenham visited Bradfield and won by three wickets in the Mid-Norfolk League.

Bradfield fielded a strong youth contingent sprinkled with a pinch of experience, which contributed the bulk of the final total of 213 with P Abbs carrying his bat for an undefeated 130, supported by C Scannell (50).

The pick of the Bradenham bowling was Laurie Hill returning figures of four for 33 from eight overs.

Openers Kyle Goodge (58) and Steve Matthews (71) put on 125 and with only 18 overs bowled the result looked a formality.

However, a flurry of middle-order wickets focused the visitors' minds and Patrick Dewing and Rob Thurley moved the score to 183 before Dewing (20) became the sixth wicket to fall.

Chad Balluza and Thurley ensured victory for Bradenham in the 34th over, W Baines ending with a six-wicket return for the hosts.

The young Bradfield players, despite any fielding mistakes, continued to offer vocal support and encouragement to their team-mates, an excellent example to all young players and a credit to their club.

Bradfield: P Abbs not out 130, J Hewitson A N Other b L Hill 5, G Phillips b L Hill 0, C Scannell c K Denmark b L Hill 50, A Robinson c P Dewing b L Hill 1, S Kimber run out 1, S Abbs not out 1; extras 25. Total (5 wkts) 213. Bowling: A Stolworthy 8-0-46-0, L Hill 8-0-33-4, P Dewing 6-0-16-0, C Balluza 9-1-42-0, A Cole 6-0-35-0, R Thurley 3-0-23-0.

Bradenham: K Goodge c S Abbs b W Baines 58, S Matthews b W Baines 71, K Blakey c L McArthy b Quilter 11, M Samuel b W Baines 1, K Denmark c P Abbs b W Baines 0, R Thurley not out 30, P Dewing c P Abbs b W Baines 20, A Stolworthy c C Scannell b W Baines 3, C Balluza not out 7; extras 14. Total (7 wkts) 215. Bowling: T Wiseman 7-0-38-0, L McArthy 5-0-32-0, B Quilter 5-0-37-1, W Baines 10-0-78-6, S Abbs 7-0-27-0.