Swardeston move into contention

Following heavy rain, Saffron Walden's match against Bury was cancelled without a ball bowled allowing Cambridge Granta to extend their lead at the top of the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League table.

Swardeston moved into title contention with victory over Burwell, and they play Granta this coming weekend.

Granta completed an eight wicket win at Fakenham. As usual they won the toss and bowled, and with Derbyshire not having a match, Garry Park took full advantage.

His 16.3 overs brought him figures of 6-25 as Fakenham were all out for just 74. Whilst he failed with the bat, making only 15, brother Sean made a run-a-ball 59 not out to see Granta to victory in the 19th over.

Over at The Common, Swardeston were picking up 25 points against Burwell. Ironically, Burwell were without Grant Flower who was required by Essex for the T20 finals day.

Swardeston skipper Mark Thomas had no hesitation in asking Burwell to have first knock on a damp pitch.
Only Frans Bester with 82 and James Craig with 42 showed the necessary application as Burwell were bowled out for 167 in the 55th over.

Sam Thelwell returned a season's best 7-29. Swardeston took 45 overs to reach their target for the loss of 5 wickets. Ed Hopkins (61) and Jaden Hatwell (51) doing the bulk of the scoring.

Clacton's slump towards the bottom of the table continued as they were beaten by eight wickets at Great Witchingham.

Despite 58 from Ben France, 60 from Matt Foakes and 31 not out from David Coyle, Clacton could only muster 194 for eight from their reduced allocation of 57 overs.

Great Witchingham lost James Spelman for 40 and Sam Arthurton for 32 but Carl Rogers carried his bat for 82 and Tom Collishaw made 33 not out to see them home.

A rain delay reduced the Horsford v Mallards match to a 55-45 split. Mallards batted first and were all out in the 53rd for 141, with Ryan Findlay taking 5-49.

Horsford hung on by the skin of their teeth as they made 64 for nine from their 47 overs, having no answers to the bowling of Paul Bradshaw (5-21 from 15) and Martin Addison (3-11 from 14). Mallards keeper Richard Goodenough held five catches.

Finally, Halstead were pushed further towards the relegation trap door as they lost to Norwich by seven wickets.

Halstead made a below par score of 190 all out (Matt Surry 49) thanks to a great spell of bowling from Ashley Watson who took 4-19 from 17 overs. It took Norwich less than 38 overs to score the required runs with Ollie Higginbottam making 91 not out and Chris Borrett 63.