It was a case of catches of the day for Fakenham as they beat Horsford at Highfield Lawn in the EAPL.The visitors were skittled out for just 110, with all 10 wickets falling to catches by Fakenham.

It was a case of catches of the day for Fakenham as they beat Horsford at Highfield Lawn in the EAPL.

The visitors were skittled out for just 110, with all 10 wickets falling to catches by Fakenham. Angus Stuart did the most damage for the home side, picking up five for 34 from 16 overs as Horsford offered little resistance with the bat.

It was then left to brothers Stephen (34no) and Phil Gray (5no) to join forces to see Fakenham across the finishing line for the loss of just three wickets. James Brown made 11, fellow opener James Hill 29 and Michael Vandort 32.

On Saturday, Fakenham travel to Clacton.

The Alliance Division Three side, facing the first of two successive Saturdays with matches because of teams quitting the league, slipped to third place.

In the West Norfolk League, Fakenham A (101) lost to Sheringham A (102 for three), while in Division Four, Fakenham B made 146 and bowled out Castle Acre A for 86.

On Saturday, Fakenham A travel

to Heacham while Fakenham B entertain Wisbech.

Great Witchingham clung on for a draw at Halstead in the EAPL. Chasing 240 to win, the Witches were indebted to 52 from Shaun Arthurton.

But when he was given out obstructing the field, Witchingham struggled and it was left to Sam Groves and Dharshana Gamage to survive with the visitors on 187 for nine.

Earlier, Gamage had claimed three wickets and Jonathan Spelman took four as Halstead made 239 for nine.

Dereham slipped further towards Alliance Division Two relegation trouble after another dismal batting display.

Joe Marczewski's side lost by seven wickets at Beccles - a side they had beaten comfortably earlier in the season - and have lost six of their last seven games.

Dereham were all out for 128 and the hosts had few problems chasing down that target. Dereham stand just one place above the relegation zone with a 25-point cushion.

Crucially, they face their two relegation rivals, Dersingham and Garboldisham, in their final two fixtures after this weekend's game against high-flying Swardeston A.

Dereham A had their relegation from Alliance Division Four confirmed as they crumbled to another heavy defeat, against another team facing the drop, Stow A.

Stow made 187 for seven before Dereham A were skittled out for just 62, the fifth time this season they have been dismissed for less than 100.

Dereham's B's 130-run defeat at Beeston in West Norfolk League Division Four completed a miserable day for the club, despite a fine

all-round performance from Tom Simpson.

He claimed four for 42 in Beeston's total of 210 for seven, with skipper Clive Parke hitting 59 and Robert Wall making 46.

Simpson then top scored with 37 but Dereham were all out for 80, with Jamie Irons (10) the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Dereham Jaguars on Sunday were sent spinning out of the Junior Carter Cup by a strong Swardeston/CEYMS Sharks side.

Nic Cains was Dereham's best bowler with two for 27 and there were also two wickets for Bradley Raper and Dale Barrett, but the Sharks racked up 268 for seven, with James Hooper making a century.

Barrett (26) and skipper David Lake (23) top scored in the Jaguars' reply, but they were never in the hunt as they fell to 126 all out.

North Elmham (24 points) beat Beccles B (five points) by five wickets in Norfolk League Division Seven.

Elmham invited visitors Beccles B to bat first on a pitch still slightly damp. Ant Keeble and Andy Kay opened the bowling and Keeble held onto a sharp slip catch to get rid of Aldridge.

Beccles made steady progress before Keeble bowled Patrick for 21. Kay struck two important blows in the 14th over when he bowled the free-scoring visitors' captain Tim Hoare and two balls later did the same to Hadingham. Beccles were 39-4.

Rob Joplin bowled Harrison in his first over. L Smith took a liking to the spin of Joplin but sharp work by Futter behind the stumps helped Joplin get his man. Kay bowled his spell taking

3-19 and was replaced by Matt Elmar who bowled quickly and got the wicket of Bales for 15.

Tindall replaced the tiring Joplin but did not get a wicket as Beccles progressed past the century mark.

With two Elmham batsmen pulling out at short notice, Chris Palmer did not want to chase too many runs so decided to try and wrap up the innings quickly. This he did by bowling M Smith and having Cockings caught by Futter for 23. Beccles were all out

for 120.

Chris Crane and Tony Garrod opened against visiting bowlers weren't as quick as Elmham's and had no pace to work with. Garrod edged behind and Keeble also struggled with the lack of pace and was bowled. Elmham were

11-2.

Ritchie Futter and Crane added 45 before Futter mistimed a shot and was caught by the bowler for 21. Joplin and Josh Hall departed quickly and Elmham were 65-5.

Crane, batting sensibly, was joined by Chris Palmer who mistimed a pull shot first ball but the relatively easy chance was grassed. The pair started to score more freely as the bowlers tired and Beccles were struggling to find a fourth bowler.

The 55 runs needed for victory were scored in 10 overs and Elmham ran out winners by five wickets. Crane finished 47 not out, Palmer 23 not out.

Next game at Hethersett and Tas Valley at Flordon.

The North Elmham team wish Christo Slabbert a speedy recovery from his suspected swine flu, and also are thinking of Stephan Malherbe's father who is seriously ill in South Africa.

BEETLEY travelled to Narborough where they lost their West Norfolk League Division three match by 117 runs.

All the Narborough top order scored runs and they were 108-3 after 33 overs. G Harwood (25) caught on the boundary by Sanjay Shah off the bowling of Paul Taylor, M Saddleton (28) giving a stinging return catch to Gary Hinchliffe and J Coe (32) was then bowled by Stewart Mcerleane.

The remaining 12 overs was carnage as Narborough doubled their score with C Hill remaining unbeaten on 65, D Y Cornwall (23) bowled by James Perkins (1-34), a good spell despite going for 11 runs in his 12th and final over.

Paul Taylor then picked up two late wickets, clean bowling Mitchell (1) and taking a sharp caught and bowled to end with figures of 3-49.

Chasing 214, Beetley were 30-3 when Keith Daykin (16) was caught off the bowling of M Gorman (3-20). Beetley then lost three wickets with the score on 35 when Ady Burton strode to the crease to face C Hill's hat-trick ball.

He survived and with Nick Calvert (14) took the score to 50 before the latter did become C Hill's (3-12) third wicket. Michael Calvert (11) joined Ady Burton (24) and they had Beetley's most productive partnership adding 37 before both fell to DY Cornwall (3-13).

Wicket keeper Mark Mitchell ended on four not out as Beetley were dismissed for 97.

Swanton Morley A, in second place in West Norfolk Division Four, visited league leaders Wisbech C.

Wisbech asked Swanton to bat on a wet wicket that produced very little bounce making scoring very difficult. A second-wicket stand of 52 between Arthur Lake (26) and Peter Ellis (28) and a fourth wicket stand of 55 between Peter Fuller (43) and Barry Green (13) saw Swanton to a competitive 144 for six off their 45 overs.

In reply, Wisbech were 22 for one off six overs, Neil Horton catching Thomas off Jordan Mustard. From that point Wisbech never made any serious attempt to win the match, finishing on 93 for six. Ken Smart carried his bat through the innings for 35 runs.

For Swanton, Horton bowled nine overs conceding only eight runs and David Powell finished with figures of 12 overs, six maidens, 2-16. Green also took two wickets costing 25 runs off 10 overs.

This was not, however, one of Swanton's best fielding performances, dropping four catches and missing one run out therefore losing out on bonus points that could prove costly in the final reckoning.

This result leaves Swanton still in second place but now only three points behind Wisbech.

NORFOLKWOMEN went to Cornwall on Sunday and recorded their first league win of the season.

Under-13 players Emily Woodhouse and Amber Tirimanna were drafted in to an inexperienced team, who were asked to bat first. They made 124 before being dismissed in the 47th over, with Megan Edmonds (36no) and Lois Nethersell (36) top scoring.

In the Cornwall reply, Louise Cadge and Edmonds took three wickets each while Naomi Littlewood picked up two as the hosts were all out for 112 in the 41st over, handing Norfolk a 12-run victory.

The team return to action closer to home on Sunday when they host Durham at Hethersett & Tas Valley in their next LV Women's County Championship Division Four match.

Team: Holl, Tirimanna, Smith, Littlewood, Edmonds, Nethersell, Cadge, Burt, McGahan, Yates, Thompson. 12th player: Woodhouse.