Cricket round-up

Bottom of the EAPL table Godmanchester shocked Great Witchingham with an eight-wicket win at Walcis Park.

Carl Rogers made 53 for the hosts, but the Witchingham middle order batsmen failed to post significant scores after all making starts.

It was left to the tail to guide Witchingham to a respectable total of 211 for nine, as 84 runs were added for the last three wickets.

Godmanchester's batting frailties of recent weeks did not resurface, however, as Adam Cousins (78no) and Matthew Pateman (79no) steered them to victory in the 45th over.

MATTISHALL: The runs flowed at Mattishall, where the hosts were unable to defend a total of 262 against Norwich in Alliance Division One.

Garth Stoltz fired 102 and Jason Cole made 53 for Mattishall, but Mark Tipping (52) and Matt Stacey (63no) helped Norwich to a four-wicket win - pushing Mattishall closer to relegation

BRADENHAMA: A crisis on the morning of the match meant Bradenham A made some late team changes as players went to the first team as supplement following a couple of injuries.

The long journey to Beef Meadow in Beccles was a fruitful one with Bradenham winning in some style with five overs to spare.

It wasn't all plain sailing, however, and Beccles, after being inserted by Bradenham skipper Ian Moody, made a good start with Jon Puxley and Terry Hunter scoring freely putting on 46.

Steve Watts and Martin Fox (0-24) bowled well without the batsman being overly troubled on a dry pitch with limited sideways movement.

The introduction of Moody in the 15th over paid immediate dividends, Puxley bowled for 32.

Beccles' skipper Ian Ruddock has been the lynch-pin to their middle order and when he was run out by a combination of Andy Wilton and Ian Gibb for three, Bradenham sensed they had gained the upper hand.

Nick Warnes scored a quickfire 25 before he was caught and bowled by Chad Balluza off a slow full-toss. Watts (2-38) came back for a second spell and removed the dangerous Holm and Hunter, the latter for a hard fought 42. Beccles were on the ropes at 133 for five with 10 overs left.

Some great stroke play from Adam Riley and young Glen Wright took the score to a below-par 195 for six with Balluza (2-33) having Riley stumped late on enabling Bradenham to get the crucial third bonus point.

An unusually subdued Gibb and a rampant Mike Taylor built an opening partnership of 105.

Gibb, finding his feet after a steady start, smashed the ball to all parts with seven fours and two sixes in his 56 and Taylor hit 11 fours and one six in his 59. The wicket was getting slower and lower but the pair had little difficulty in dispatching the Beccles' attack until Gibb was caught going for another big shot.

Moody scored 14 before playing too early to a ball that stopped on him and was caught and bowled by Young. Taylor eventually succumbed, bowled around his legs by Zimbabwean off-spinner Holm: 140 for three with 20 overs to play.

A rejuvenated Beccles applied pressure with the turning ball and Balluza and Kevin Denmark had to work hard. They got going and Balluza in particular played some fantastic shots in his 37 not out including a six off the last scoring delivery of the match with the scores level to give Bradenham maximum batting points.

Denmark finished well with 16 not out and Bradenham picked up a vital victory with 23 points.

Later that evening the Halvergate Cromer score came through and it leaves Bradenham requiring 17 points from their last two games to ensure a third consecutive promotion. These games are against Great Melton A and the unfortunate Topcroft A.

SWANTON Morley A entertained Gooderstone A looking for maximum points to keep the pressure on Wisbech at the top of the West Norfolk League Division Four.

Peter Ellis chose to bat on a good looking wicket. Openers Gary Whiteside and Arthur Lake gave Swanton the perfect start with a stand of 108 in 27 overs before Whiteside fell for 51.

Barry Green was promoted to No 3 to make quick runs and ensure the magic 200 was reached for maximum batting points. Green and Lake moved the score to 151 off 35 overs before Lake was out for 64. Green (18), Ellis (35 not out), Peter Fuller (20) and Soren Gauntlett (16 not out) all added quick runs in the final 10 overs and the innings closed on 236 for four.

For Gooderstone young S Morgan bowled well taking two for 30 in eight overs.

In reply extras (13) was the highest scorer for Gooderstone, no batsman reaching double figures as they were all out for 49.

The top order could not handle the swing bowling of Olly Hood who took three for 11 in five overs. The middle order were dismissed by Soren Gauntlett who took four for six in six overs and 12-year-old Callum Crompton wrapped up the innings taking two for seven in his first over of league cricket. The other wicket fell to David Powell who took one for 12 in seven overs.

Six catches and only one drop off a difficult chance was a vast improvement on the previous week at Wisbech where missed chances cost league points.

This win and a maximum 20 points puts Swanton 17 points clear of Wisbech, who have a game in hand.

BEETLEY entertained and beat Denver in West Norfolk Division Three.

Denver started well as their openers put on 55 runs in 14 overs before J Black (22) was caught behind by Ady Burton. Keith Daykin then took a diving catch to give Stewart Mcerleane (2-21) his second wicket.

P Morton (34) then put up a skier which keeper Ady Burton took halfway down the wicket as bowler Gary Hinchliffe looked on.

Beetley clawed their way back into the game to have Denver 81 for five when J Gent joined S Carr at the wicket. They put on 43 runs before J Gent (10) was needlessly run out.

Denver collapsed as their last four wickets fell for eight runs with an over from Chris Densham (1-2) and James Perkins (4-28) taking the final wicket to fall that of S Carr (45) caught by Keith Daykin.

Chasing 133, Beetley openers Keith Daykin and Conrad Pitkethly (33) put on 63 runs in 25 overs before the latter was bowled by J Linford.

Chris Densham (5) was caught with the score on 85 when groundsman Nick Calvert joined Keith Daykin (53 no). The scores were level when Nick Calvert was bowled by P Morton (2-29).

Thanks go to Nick for all his hard work on the wicket this season.

It was Gary Hinchliffe's body which scored the winning run to cap a fine all-round team performance.