DEREHAM moved up to third place in Norfolk Alliance Division Two following a tense two-wicket victory over Mundford.Dereham won the toss and elected to field first on a damp wicket.

DEREHAM moved up to third place in Norfolk Alliance Division Two following a tense two-wicket victory over Mundford.

Dereham won the toss and elected to field first on a damp wicket. Opening bowlers Kristian Fletcher and Gary Starling made early inroads to leave Mundford wobbling at 13-3. Munford recovered with the fourth-wicket pair adding 50 before a run out by Lee Hoggett and a wicket for Tom Head in the space of three overs put Dereham back in control.

Further well-deserved wickets followed for Jake Anema and Jon Crisp before Mundford dug in to reach 120-7. However the return of Fletcher and Starling saw a swift close to the innings as Mundford were bowled out for 130.

Dereham's reply got off to an dreadful start as they slumped to 35-5 in the 20th over. A fine partnership of 49 between Anema and Neil Burrage kept Dereham in contention before Burrage was caught for 11. Anema then went onto 50 as he and Head added a valuable 25.

Head's dismissal left Dereham 100-7 as Starling joined Anema at the crease. The pair brought the scores level before Anema was caught for a superb 66 as Crisp then hit his second ball for four to see Dereham over the finishing line.

Dereham entertain league leaders Beccles on Saturday.

The youngest trio in the team shone with ball and bat and showed the way to their older colleagues as Dereham A went down to a 92-run defeat.

Fifteen-year-olds Bradley Raper (3-30) and Lewis Bates (3-18) and Rob Mabee (who top scored with 36) provided the highlights for Dereham seconds and proved again the depth of young talent at the club.

Dereham were unlucky for long periods in the field as Sprowston's batsmen rode their luck in compiling 211-8.

Ian Battelley took 2-45 and all Sprowston's wickets were catches. Dereham captain Jack West bagged four and George Pledger held on to a stunning one-handed catch which was one of the best seen at the Norwich Road ground for many years.

Mabee also took an excellent diving effort at square leg and wicket keeper Billy McClusky deserved to get his catch to round off a faultless afternoon behind the stumps.

Dereham lost wickets regularly in reply and never recovered from the early departures of David Lake, Billy McClusky, Gareth Mottram and West.

Mabee hit seven boundaries in his entertaining knock and Battelley hit a solid 29. Bates (10) and Raper (12 not out) were the only others to reach double figures.