AS the overcast skies of July continued for yet another week, Norfolk League Division One title-chasers Rollesby welcomed Drayton, looking to maintain their unbeaten record on home soil.

Skipper Duxbury once again lost the toss and was invited to bat in testing conditions.

P Cook and Duxbury got off to a slow start due to some tight bowling from Sharma and Pointer but punished the bad ball and pushed the score to 42 before Cook (21) fell to a delivery from Pointer (12-0-38-1).

This brought Chaney to the crease and together with Duxbury the pair continued to bat patiently before upping the scoring rate.

Duxbury in particular looking in fine for as the pair put on 63 before Chaney fell to a great bit of glove work from part-time keeper Dobson. Duxury brought up his fifty and continued to play the ball to all parts before missing a straight one and was dismissed for a well-earned 66.

Rollesby stumbled with Payne (4 and Youngs (1) falling in quick succession but Chris Alger (15) and a partnership of 33 between D Cook and Nunn saw Rollesby to a very competitive total of 178-6.

Shortly after tea, the gloom disappeared and the sun shone with Rollesby knowing just how important the next 45 overs could be for the rest of their season as they attempted to secure a maiden league chamionship success.

The usual pairing of Dave Cook and Alger took the new cherry and kept the visitors quiet before Alger sneaked one between bat and pad and P Wright was dismissed for 6. The flamboyant James Kay joined opener Foston and the pair took attempted to take the attack to the Rollesby bowlers.

Both were luck to survive early chances as Rollesby managed to drop a total of seven catches throughout the innings and both Cook and Alger unfortunate not to have picked up more wickets.

The pair put on 50 before the introduction of R Sparkes saw to Kay (22) and when veteran Flett bowled Foston (31) the Drayton chase had hit a wall.

Sparkes (6-2-16-2) had the wind in his sails and produced a snorter to take the edge of Hunt (7) with Chaney taking an equally good catch behind the stumps.

Alger returned to bowl Reeve (22) who had batted well to that point and when Flett bowled skipper Soanes for 12, the win was in the bag for the Division One leaders.

The in-form Alger had his eyes on mopping up the tail and bowled with great pace but it was the glovework of Chaney that caught the eye at the end of the innings taking two cracking catches off Alger, who even managed to swing the ball at times, and another good catch off the bowling of Flett (10-1-11-3).

The final wicket taken by Alger (11.1 – 0- 23 -5) saw him claim his fifth wicket to round off a good performance from the Rollesby team.

Fleggburgh Kings Arms man of the match – Alex Chaney 31 and four stunning catches.

ROLLESBY A made the trip to North Elmham looking for another victory to help their climb up the table.

Having lost the toss Rollesby were invited to bat first on a greenish wicket, Hewitt and Fakes made steady progress against an accurate opening attack.

The pair took the score to 42 before Hewitt (10) was trapped LBW by Keeble, which brought Catchpole to the crease.

The pair continued the good work, with Fakes beginning to warm to his task, passing fifty and looking in ominous mood, before he fell for a fine 62.

G Barnden joined Catchpole, and Rollesby continued to accumulate, before a mini-collapse saw Catchpole (28), G Barnden (13) and L Roffey (5) falling for 10 runs and Rollesby go from 119 for 2 to 129 for 5.

This brought skipper Browning and Flett to the crease and the pair took the score 150 before Browning was bowled for 12.

Flett continued to play his shots before be perished for 19, leaving Price (1 no) and Simnett (8 no) to take the score to 173 for 7.

The Elmham response started brightly with Oliver and King looking to be positive, the pair took the score to 34, despite some fine bowling from Flett and Barnden.

However, disaster struck as Barnden dismissed Oliver (20) and King (18) and Flett bowled the dangerous Slabbert (2) within 8 balls, leaving Elmham 36 for 3.

Rollesby old boy Websdale and Dagless came to the crease and quietly accumulated, with Dagless occasionally playing the big shot, however, with the required rate rising Dagless (21) tried one shot to many and skied a Browning delivery in the safe hands of Simnett.

Catchpole then trapped Keeble (0) and as the home side struggled to keep up with the required rate.

When Websdale (10) was dismissed the home side were 76 for six and victory was looking a long way off. Garrod (16) and Grobelaar (12) brief threatened with some lusty blows, but the home side were slipping further behind the rate and when the returning Barnden accounted for Kay (12) and A Garrod (3) the home side were dismissed for 117 and Rollesby had recorded a comfortable 57 run victory.

This was an excellent team performance, with every one contributing to the win.

Fleggborough Kings Arms MOM : Alan Fakes (62)