‘Old-timers’ rewrite slice of their own Bradenham Cricket Club history

Bradenham batsmen Pat Dewing and Steven 'Stan' Matthews rolled back the years to set a new club first-wicket partnership record of 228 – breaking the previous best of 180 they set 27 years ago.

The opening duo set the old record against Carrow back in 1989 and their superb innings' at Swardeston B on Saturday paved the way to a fine win in the club's last Norfolk Alliance Division Two match of the season.

The pair passed the 100 mark in the 23rd over and the next century just 12 overs later with Dewing reaching his own three-figure milestone with another drive.

Eventually Matthews was first to go, stumped off the bowling of Tim Courridge for 77. The same bowler removed Dewing for 126 as Bradenham finished on 268-7.

Will Kinder and Matt Hogg looked comfortable until Al Bates removed the latter's middle stump for 15.

Ben Chapman added a classy 29 before being caught and bowled by Rob Ellis – who then took one of the catches of the campaign on the mid-wicket boundary to remove Courridge for 41.

Alex Bilham (29) and Simon Jessop (25 not out) showed good resistance for Swardeston late on but the required target was always out of reach and the team closed on 202-7 from their allotted overs. A man-of-the-match performance culminated in Dewing taking 3-45 off nine overs.

Skipper Bates said: 'What a great way it was for us to finish our league programme with the 'old-timers' showing how to do it in their cricketing dotage.

'It's been a really good season for us generally with everyone contributing at some stage and I'm proud of the way all the players have performed throughout the summer.'