Round the cricket clubs

Records continue to tumble in Bradenham Sunday side's excellent start to the season, with the first-wicket stand of 160 against Sand-ringham easily passing the 134 previously set in 2008.

In a top-of-the-table clash, leaders Bradenham entertained second-placed Sandringham. The visitors elected to bat and despite losing one of their openers in the first over, they scored quickly, mainly from the bat of Perrin as he played some impressive shots, and at the 15-over drinks interval the score stood at 92.

A huge score looked imminent before 15-year-old Alex Wheeler, playing only his second game for the team, had Perrin stumped for a well made 79. This put the brakes on the run rate and Sandringham ended their innings on exactly 200.

Rob Thurley and Lewis Denmark began the reply and scored quickly, matching each other shot for shot. Denmark, sitting on 49, looked on as Thurley passed his 50 and then began to dismantle the visitors' attack with some aggressive stroke play, eventually falling for an excellent 96.

Denmark carried his bat for 72 as he and Brett Stolworthy steered the home side to victory with six overs to spare.

Bradenham saw Stow complete an Alliance Division One victory in the penultimate over of the match.

Bradenham's captain elected to bat first. Evans fell early for five, but Whyte and Thurley staged a partnership of 52 before Whyte fell for 26. Thurley quickly followed him, stumped down the leg side for 35.

Tight bowling by Ward and King led to more pressure on the Bradenham batsmen and wickets continued to fall until experienced campaigners Dewing (25) and Blakey (47), with some excellent running between the wickets by youngsters Stolworthy and Bates, took the total to reach 201.

The Stow reply started well for Bradenham, with Caffyn taking a wicket in the fourth over. Bowman and Albutt put on 64 for the next wicket, with Albutt outscoring his partner easily. Excellent bowling by Brown (three for 47), Thurley and Bates kept Bradenham in the game. Albutt was caught by Evans from the bowling of Stolworthy for 120 out of a total of 192. Stow reached 202 for five.

Bradenham A (260 for seven) beat Alliance Divison Five visitors Beccles A (165) to stay second after their second successive maximum win. A stiffer challenge awaits this week at Brooke.

Skipper Ian Moody elected to bat and openers Ian Gibb and Mike Taylor started in their usual aggressive fashion with Gibb particularly severe on anything lose. They put on 43 before Gibb went for 29 (one six, four fours).

Taylor (seven) followed with the score on 49. Moody, joined by Kevin Denmark, struggled to find the fluency of previous weeks but loose bowling, incredibly defensive field placement and Denmark's ability to dispatch the lose ball meant the score increased with the minimum of effort. At the halfway point the score was 93-2. What happened thereafter was utter carnage with the Beccles attack being taken for 167 from the next 21 overs.

Man-of-the-match Denmark's 50 came with a typically classy shot. He was eventually bowled by Fisher for 83 (two sixes, 10 fours). The partnership had realised 138. Moody followed shortly after for 35 (two fours and 14 singles). Chad Balluza hit a well crafted 29 also with only two boundaries, but with the field set on the boundary ones and twos were easily worked.

A mini-collapse and some tight bowling from Ian Ruddock 3-49 and M. Fisher 3-66 meant Bradenham had to accelerate and some lusty stroke play from Steve Watts 21no and Kyle Goodge 14no at the end of the 44th over took the score 260-7 which included 39 extras.

Beccles lost the valued wicket of Jon Puxley for nought, bowled by Watts. Ruddock played a number of aerial shots in his 20 and young Barber in his 15 before he was adjudged lbw also off Watts (2-23). At 25-2 Bradenham were in total control.

Martin Fox induced a false stroke from Ruddock and he was bowled for 20. Skipper Andy Clarke and Thorpe were Beccles' last real hope and Clarke hit the ball very sweetly and long in his 57 (two sixes, nine fours). Balluza (2-45) was bowling tightly but the introduction of Moody (1-10) immediately accounted for Thorpe for 22.

Beccles faced 23 overs with half the team out. Balluza bowled Clarke and wickets fell at regular intervals.

Fox (2-43) was reintroduced and was unfortunate not to have Aldridge caught in the slips, twice. However, he produced a pearler to bowl him leaving eight overs to get the last two wickets. Watts was reintroduced for one over before Moody introduced slow bowler Tom Browes. Fisher couldn't resist and was bowled. The game ended tamely with young Buck run out.

Swanton Morley A travelled to Gooderstone for their first away game of the season in Division Four of the West Norfolk League, were asked to bat first on a slow but dry wicket and produced a record stand.

With the visitors at 57-3 after 18 overs Mark Drohan's decision to field first looked justified but veteran Barry Green and opener Gary Whiteside put together a stand of 172 in 26 overs, a Swanton Morley second team record for any wicket.

Whiteside was out for 76 off the first ball of the final over the innings, Green clubbing his way to 96 not out.

The innings closed on 241-4 at the end of the allotted 45 overs.

The Gooderstone reply was kept in check by the Swanton Morley teenage seam attack and after 20 overs they had reached 56-2, a long way behind the asking rate but with wickets in hand.

David Powell was then introduced into the attack, bowling three straight maidens and taking a wicket. After 30 overs they had progressed to 81-3.

Powell took his second wicket in the 31st over and Ellis then opted to throw the ball to young off spinner Harry Simpson.

The fast improving Simpson went on to take 4-18 in 5.3 overs and also had a hand in a run out.

The home side were dismissed for 118 in the 42nd over, opener Chris de Bootman finally run out for 24, Farrow was bowled by Luke Folan for 29 and Ian Sayer was last man out lbw to Simpson for 40.

Men of the Match: Barry Green and Harry Simpson.

Hardingham A met Sprowston C in a top-of-the-table encounter of two previously unbeaten sides which saw a thrilling last-over win for Hardingham in Norfolk League Division Six.

Sprowston recovered from the loss of three early wickets to post a score of 152.

Martin Eves top scored with 36 and David Austin batting at nine made a useful 29.

Pick of the Hardingham bowlers was Andy Duckham with four for 43 ably supported by Cheu-Sang, Townshend and Burt who all took two wickets a piece.

Hardingham made steady progress throughout their innings with skipper Jamie Fowle hitting 32 and it was man-of-the-match Duckham who finished things off in the final over with two consecutive fours to end on 39 not out.

For Sprowston Mike Hanby was again prominent with a fine spell of three for 22 and there were two wickets each for Eves and Josh Spilling.

Beetley made their first away trip of the season, to Denver, lost the toss and were asked to bat.

Both openers were dismissed by C Rolfe whose first two overs were wicket maidens and by the time Mick Smith was out for 14 Beetley had slumped to 39-5.

Ady Burton (14) joined Chris Densham (23) and a partnership of 33 took the score to 74 before the last three wickets fell for an additional eight runs. C Rolfe took his third wicket for figures of 10-5-9-3 and he and his fellow bowlers were well supported by tight fielding.

Beetley knew they had to take quick wickets and had Denver at 15-2 with a run out and a catch at point by Chris Densham off the bowling of Gary Hinchliffe. J Black (28no) then joined A Gower and their partnership of 47 took the game away from Beetley.

A diving catch by Mark Mitchell off the bowling of James Perkins dismissed Gower (32) and James took his second wicket by bowling A Wallbridge for four, but by then it was too late.

Dereham B's batting weaknesses cost them dear on Saturday as they lost heavily at Castle Acre A.

Dereham B only had 10 players and the vast majority of the team was under 18, but they bowled and fielded with great enthusiasm. Castle Acre amassed 235 for nine in 45 overs.

However, the Dereham players kept working hard to the end in hot conditions on a very good wicket. Ian Clarke took four for 43 in his 12 overs and James Harbour (two for 22), Tom Simpson (one for 39), George Fuller and Sam Widdows (both one for 30) all played their part in a spirited effort with the ball to ensure four bowling points. Neal Widdows and Ryan Widdows could also have taken wickets.

After openers Sam Widdows (14) and Tony Carter (six) were out, Dereham quickly collapsed and were all out for 41.

North Elmham entertained Hethersett and Tas Valley B and won by 142 runs in Norfolk League Division Seven to remain top.

Chris Palmer had no hesitation in batting first. Opener Tony Garrod was out cheaply but Ant Keeble and Stephan Malherbe added 51 in eight overs before Keeble was lbw for 28 from 27 balls faced (four fours and one six).

Palmer joined Malherbe and started cautiously. Malherbe scored his maiden club half-century before falling to a catch at the wicket for 60 (six fours).

Richie Futter joined his skipper with the score 113 from 26 overs and 30 runs were added in eight overs. With 10 overs left it was decided to up the tempo and 97 runs were added. Futter scored his maiden club half-century, beating his skipper with nine fours and two sixes. When the pair had added 123, Palmer was finally run out for 73.

Hethersett were well placed before Palmer and Futter had fun in the sun, taking the Elmham total to 240 for four wickets when the innings closed. D. Clarke was the most successful bowler taking two for 65 from 11 overs.

Iain Sinclair and Ant Keeble bowled very well, restricting the Tas Valley top order and taking three quick wickets Andy Kay replaced Sinclair after 13 overs and soon got into his rhythm, ripping out the middle order taking four wickets in his seven-over spell.

Rob Joplin also bowled well and was assisted by a spectacular diving catch at slip by Iain Sinclair. With eight wickets down and an 11-year-old batsmen last in, Chris Palmer decided to give his two youngsters a bowl. Luke Goddard bowled well and Jack Harding was unlucky. Top scorer Bugg played well before being run out for 20. Eleven-year-old C Clarke acquitted himself well, facing 23 balls before falling to a fine running catch by Goddard off Joplin.

The innings ended with Tas Valley all out for 98. Kay was the most successful bowler but the team bowled well as a unit and the skipper was very pleased with the performance. Next, away to Shipdham A.