Relegation worries for Dereham CC
Dereham were second best in all departments on Saturday as their relegation fears were heightened by an 87-run defeat at home to promotion-chasing Saxlingham in Norfolk Alliance Division Two.
Dereham were second best in all departments on Saturday as their relegation fears were heightened by an 87-run defeat at home to promotion-chasing Saxlingham in Norfolk Alliance Division Two.
Heavy showers delayed the start for an hour and led to the game being reduced to 40 overs per side, with Dereham skipper Joe Marczewski winning an apparently crucial toss and choosing to bowl.
Opening bowlers Jake Anema and Kristien Fletcher each picked up an early wicket as the damp conditions seemed likely to make batting difficult. But sloppiness crept in for Dereham as they failed to capitalise on their good start and Saxlingham added 82 for the third wicket.
Will Burnell batted excellently to make 80 and by the time he was the sixth man out, Saxlingham had already reached 176, an imposing score given the conditions. Sadly for Dereham, there was still time for the visitors to build on that total and they finished on 212 for nine.
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Duncan Hewitt (3-24) and Anema (3-32) were Dereham's main wicket-takers, while spinner Max Cheetham struggled to defend the short leg-side boundary and his two wickets cost 74 runs.
Dereham openers David Lake and Cheetham departed cheaply and when Hewitt and Phil Banyard fell in successive deliveries, the hosts' reply was in tatters at 32-4.
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Marczewski attempted to repair the damage with a patient 21, but wickets continued to tumble and Dereham's leading scorer this season Anema - batting at No 8 - was the only home batsman able to master the conditions.
He hit a six and five fours in an unbeaten 48, but ran out of partners as Dereham were bowled out for 125 in the 36th over, having scrambled their way to an extra batting point.
Dereham now stand 22 points clear of the relegation zone with two games left to play, and this Saturday they visit Saham Toney, before closing the campaign at home to bottom side North Runcton A.
Saxlingham (25pts) beat Dereham (6) by 87 runs in Alliance Two.
Saxlingham: D Maskell c Crisp b Fletcher 0, D Lacey c Head b Anema 0, W Burnell b Anema 80, A Pearson c Crisp b Cheetham 34, D English c Fletcher b Cheetham 19, B Cudden c Anema b Hewitt 24, O Brown c Anema b Hewitt 0, S Vincent not out 17, T Broughton c Marczewski b Hewitt 7, N Forsdick c Crisp b Anema 0, J Phillips not out 6; extras 23. Total (9 wkts) 212.
Bowling: K Fletcher 7-1-27-1, J Anema 10-3-32-3, T Head 3-1-24-0, M Cheetham 10-0-74-2, J Crisp 5-0-25-0, D Hewitt 5-0-24-3.
Dereham: D Lake c Brown b Phillips 12, M Cheetham c Vincent b Broughton 3, D Hewitt c Brown b Phillips 8, P Banyard c Brown b Broughton 3, J Marczewski c Vincent b Forsdick 21, N Irons c Lacey b Burnell 5, J Crisp c Phillips b Cudden 6, J Anema not out 48, N Burrage c Cudden b Burnell 0, K Fletcher b Forsdick 4, T Head b Forsdick 2; extras 12. Total 125.
Bowling: T Broughton 10-2-14-2, B Cudden 6-0-33-1, J Phillips 6-1-25-2, W Burnell 8-2-41-2, N Forsdick 5.3-2-11-3.
