Round the cricket clubs

Dereham faded to an Alliance Division Two defeat at Saxlingham.

Dereham, now fourth bottom, made 98, Saxlingham (99 for three) moving up to third with a seven-wicket win.

In Division One, Bradenham (151 for eight) lost to now second-placed Sprowston (152 for four) and are fourth bottom, while Mattishall remain bottom after a 90-run defeat by Stow who made 207 for seven against their visitors' 117.

Fakenham A (116 for nought) beat Swaffham (115) to go second in Division Three. Dereham A made 80 to Norwich A's 83 for four in Division Four and remain anchored to the foot of the table.

Bradenham A are second in Division Five (Bradenham A 262 for four, Brooke 178 for five) in a match which saw Bradenham's Mike Taylor (124) and Kyle Goodge (84) set a team record opening stand of 187.

In Division Six, Mattishall a made 121 for nine to Hethersett & Tas Valley A's 126 for two.

In Norfolk League Division One, Hardingham's R Fowle hit 112 out of 304 for three, Drayton getting 182 for eight. Hardingham top the table and Shipdham are fifth. They beat Kirkley Sports (101) with 144 for nine.

In Division Six, Brisley (43) lost to Hemsby 9141) and Hardingham A (134 for nine) lost to Sprowston C (189 for nine).

In Division Seven, second-placed North Elmham made 113 and bowled Shipdham A out for 62.

In Division Eight, Great Witchingham B (91 for nine) lost to Acle B (254 for four).

GREAT WITCHINGHAM saw resurgent Horsford made it five wins from their last seven games as teenage spinner Ryan Findlay claimed four wickets in a low-scoring victory at Manor Park in the EAPL.

Luke Caswell had done the early damage for Horsford as his four wickets and two from Matthew Warnes reduced Witchingham - who were without skipper James Spelman and his brother, Jonathan - to 42 for six.

Tom Collishaw made a defiant 51 as he and James Page put on 49 for the seventh wicket, but the introduction of Findlay turned the game back in Horsford's favour. He took four for eight to wrap up the tail as the visitors fell to 96 all out in the 48th over.

However, Dharshana Gamage removed both Horsford openers cheaply and Greg Knowles took the key wicket of James Wild. Skipper Chris Brown dug in to top score with 22 and after he was removed by Sam Arthurton, Caswell and Matt Wilkinson took Horsford to within 14 runs of victory with five wickets in hand.

That was when the jitters started as Knowles dismissed Caswell and Carl Rogers claimed two more victims, including Wilkinson, with the score still on 83. Matt Thomas remained calm alongside James Leck and they gathered the required runs to seal victory in the 53rd over.

SWANTON MORLEY visited Rollesby for their first Sunday League game for three weeks.

Skipper Jonny Bidewell lost the toss and Swanton were asked to field. Good bowling from openers Soren Gauntlet and Alan Waters soon saw Swanton gain the upper hand when Waters picked up the two openers in his seven-over spell.

This allowed Appleby to bowl a long spell along with Wayne McKinney. They didn't disappoint, with Appleby picking up a wicket and McKinney picking up two, one of which was Rollesby's danger man, M Browning (41), brilliantly caught behind by Steve Shoesmith.

With Rollesby 110 for five off 35 overs, Swanton were well in the driving seat and when Daniel Lake and Soren Gauntlet were brought back on, the job was soon done, with Lake picking up a wicket and the ever-improving Gauntlet picking up the last three.

All the bowlers were backed up by young Ollie Hood, who also bowled well, but unfortunately didn't pick up a wicket. Rollesby, who only had 10 men, were all out for 139.

Swanton's run chase did not get off to the best of starts when Damien Ryan was dismissed cheaply in the third over, leaving Swanton six for one.

However, this was only to be a slight hiccup, and when the skipper came to the crease to join Richard Packham, they moved the score along to 67 before Packham was dismissed for 28.

Bidewell was joined by Lake, who all but saw their team home before Bidewell was caught for 63. This allowed Lake and Gary Whiteside to finish the job, Lake ending 27 not out and Whiteside 6 not out.

Next, Swanton take on Chapelfield at home.

Swanton Morley A for the second time in two weeks lost to Necton in Division Four of the West Norfolk league, putting a serious dent in their promotion hopes, this time on their home ground and by seven wickets.

Necton won the toss and asked Swanton to bat first on a flat wicket that tended to keep very low.

Openers Gary Whiteside and Arthur Lake took the score to 45 before Whiteside was caught at long off for 14.

Captain Peter Ellis joined Lake and they added another 45 before Lake was adjudged lbw for 36 in the 26th over.

As in the previous week the gentle slow to medium pace of David Hunt then ripped through the entire Swanton middle order as he took five for 14.

Only Ellis (18) and Nick Richer (10) reaching double figures. Swanton were all out for 134 in the final over of their allotted 45 having lost their last eight wickets for only 44 runs.

In reply, Necton never looked in trouble with Matt Beaumont (33) taking the score to 48 before he was first out.

Despite ringing the bowling changes Swanton were only able to take two further wickets and Necton's Phil Websdale saw them past the winning post with two overs to spare finishing himself on 52 not out.

With three games coming up against other promotion contenders Swanton cannot continue to rely on the top order for runs, the middle and late order must start contributing when called upon to do so.