HALVERGATE continued their winning streak to defeat fourth-place Great Melton A by six wickets and stay top of Division Five of the Norfolk Alliance.Halvergate chose to bowl first and opening bowlers Tim Crane and Shaun Howley made the most of the conditions.

HALVERGATE continued their winning streak to defeat fourth-place Great Melton A by six wickets and stay top of Division Five of the Norfolk Alliance.

Halvergate chose to bowl first and opening bowlers Tim Crane and Shaun Howley made the most of the conditions.

After their opening eight-over spells, Crane had taken two wickets and Howley one to leave the visitors struggling

on 37-3.

Melton reached 80 for the loss of only one more wicket before a prolonged shower.

The covers did their job but the break looked to have disturbed the Hares' concentration and J Wilson and J Dorling rattled up a 90-run partnership to take the score to 132 in the 34th over before a sharp slip catch by Steven Clarke saw the dangerous Wilson dismissed

for 57.

In a bizarre three-over spell the Hares effected three run-outs to reduce Melton to 152-8. Howley wrapped up the innings in the last over with the score on 167.

Halvergate's Steven Clarke and Luke Hannant again got the innings away to a solid start. After just 13 overs had taken the total to 74 before Clarke was unlucky to drag the ball onto his stumps for 27.

Hannant continued to bat well but the Melton bowlers started to chip away at the other end. Hannant's brilliant knock ended on 58 when he smashed a ball straight into point's hands.

His innings included 10 boundaries and was his third half-century of the season.

With the reply on 122-4, Melton brought their opening bowlers into the attack. However the experienced pair of Kelvin London (28no) and Stephen Cooke (20no) waited for the bad balls to knock off the remaining runs with more than 10 overs to spare..

Halvergate face tough competition again this week at third-placed Cromer A.

Eden Resourcing MoM: Luke Hannant with his innings of 58, a catch and two run-out assists.

CAISTER batted first against Kirkley Sports and lost Holmes (one) with the score on nine. James Kerrison came in for his first bat of the season.

Rain caused a delay. Stokes made 13 before being caught behind for 13.

Sims took the attack to the bowlers with quick-fire 27 but was out at 71-3. Tuttle ran into a purple patch, accounting for Johnson for eight and then bowling Kerrison for a fine 39.

Only Myhill made a significant contribution after that, scoring 35 before being stumped. Holmes finished with 5-22 and Tuttle 3-36, dismissing Caister for 144.

Kirkley's McAlone lasted just five balls, caught by keeper Church off of Sims.

With only four overs gone the rain forced another delay of about 10 minutes.

There were two partnerships of note, Parker and Laws and Laws and Tuttle. Parker making 32, Laws 29 and Tuttle 27, with Muirhead making a useful 17.

But with Sims taking 3-36 and Myhill 4-28, Caister went to the wire, winning by seven runs.

CAISTER entertained Bunwell from Division Three in the quarter-final of the Broke Cup at Allendale Road.

After beating Division Two's Worstead in the last round they looked to retain their record of defeating clubs from higher divisions.

Bunwell elected to field first. Stokes (six) and Rob Brown added 29 in the first six overs. Skipper Mark Johnson joined Brown, who had been dropped at slip when on seven. Brown started to attack the bowling.

Johnson started to settle in and stroke the ball around. Caister passed the 100 in the 18th over, then Rob Brown and Mark Johnson really put the pedal down, passing 200 in the 29th over Brown passed 50 and

then completed his first century this season.

With the score on 298 Johnson was unlucky to be run out for 92, so near yet so far. A record club partnership of 279 for the second wicket.

Brown on 160 holed out. G Talbot and P Brown saw out the last balls of the innings,

Caister closing on 308-3, possibly a club record.

Against Martin Talbot and Hewitt, only four Bunwell players made it into double figures as their side finished 154 runs short.

MARTHAM entertained top-of-the-table Felthorpe in Division Four, who batted first and amassed 274-7 after being 85-5, thanks to a 120-run partnership by Moy and Hewitt.

Two wickets apiece for Randall, Abrahams and Dunn for Martham but dropped catches took their toll.

Martham were 33-1 in reply when the weather finally won, producing a no result.

MARTHAM A gained their first victory of the season by the narrowest of margins in a rain- affected match at Hingham A.

Electing to bat first, the home side were soon in all sorts of trouble losing their first seven wickets for just 42 runs.

Only an obstinate stand of 44 between skipper Kevin Chilleystone (25 not out) and Keith Taplin (22) prevented a complete rout. Once the latter was dismissed with the score on 96 the hosts limped along to a total of 109 in the 38th over.

Chris Shales was the bowler who did all the damage, finishing with the excellent analysis of 6-14 in his 11 overs, five of them maidens.

He was well supported by Andrew Whittington (2-14), Courtney Randell (1-23) and Ollie Sayer (1-34).

Whittington (five) and Hugh Ferguson put on 22 for the first Martham wicket.

Randell (six) and Ferguson took the score along to 49 before the latter was bowled for a valuable 29.

His dismissal then heralded a middle-order collapse and the visitors suddenly found themselves staring down the barrel with seven wickets down and only 55 runs on the board - precisely half of the target required.

Young Joe Tyrrell (6) joined Shales and brought the score up to 66 before his wicket fell. With another 44 still required and only two wickets remaining the game had dramatically swung Hingham's way.

But with 12-year-old bowler Ollie Sayer joining Shales they gradually reduced the arrears in between a couple of

breaks for rain. Shales was controlling the situation with a mixture of attacking shots and defensive play with Sayer able to keep one end at bay in the gathering gloom.

Just as it looked as if these two would go on and complete the task, Sayer was bowled for five with still six runs needed for victory.

Shales was then joined by an even younger Ethan Scally who was able to defend his wicket, enabling Shales in the next over to strike a four and a scampered single to bring the scores level.

This then left Scally exposed at the danger end but victory was secured when the next ball sent down was a wide.

Shales finished on 28 not out and following his earlier performance with the ball was certainly the star performer.

ROLLESBY A travelled to play Hemsby and asked the hosts to bat first.

Hemsby brought up their 50 in only the eighth over and after 20 overs were 141-5. Veteran

left-arm spinner John Clarke picked up three wickets with Websdale and Gerdes each collecting one victim.

With the run rate slowing, Hemsby were still losing wickets at regular intervals with Barnden and Websdale each picking up two wickets and Catchpole picking up the other one. George Barnden also picked up two catches in the innings.

The Hemsby innings finished on 219 all out with R Websdale collecting 3-59, J Clarke 3-64 and G Barnden 2-21.

In reply, Rollesby were soon in trouble at 33-2, with big guns Fakes (9) and Catchpole (0) back in the pavilion. During the ninth over the rain started to fall, and after the 10th over the players had to leave the field.

Following an hour's delay, the game got under way again at 7pm. Johnny Payne and Oscar Gerdes took the game to Hemsby and were playing shots all around the ground. They put on a partnership of 93 in 13 overs before they both fell in the space of two overs, Gerdes for a career- best 52 and Payne for a season's best of 55.

Rollesby lost wickets at regular intervals with Websdale (1), Barnden (5) and P Clarke (4) all departing quickly. Price and Roffey put on 25 before Roffey (6) was out.

The in-form Hewitt then joined his skipper and they put on 21 before Price (19) lost his wicket, leaving Hewitt (13 not out)

and J Clarke (2 not out) undefeated at the end with the score on 194-9.

This resulted in a victory by 25 runs for the home side.

Filby King's Head Joint MoM: Johnny Payne and Oscar

Gerdes - a welcome return to form for both.

HEMSBY'S groundsman prepared a predictable bouncy Waters Lane pitch. All that was needed now was the captain to win the toss and bat. Brian Price, however, won the toss and stuck in the home side.

Hudson soon fell to a very poor shot. But Colclough and Tilbrook took the score to 69 when Tilbrook was caught

off Gerders. Boylan hit four fours before being bowled by Rollesby's 2009 bowling sensation John Clarke.

He also removed Colclough for a league best 64.

Shepherd, Holmes and Cossey all played useful innings. But two rain stoppages meant time was starting to run out.

Just before a declaration Hemsby were bowled out for 219.

Rollesby's reply began with Fakes offering a catch that was declined by Tilbrook/Taylor. But Boylan accepted a harder caught and bowled. Next over he bowled Catchpole for a duck.

The score had reached

45-2 when a heavy shower hit

the ground.

On resumption promoted Gerdes smashed Hemsby's bowling around. With partner Payne he added 93 in 14 overs, hitting 10 fours before being bowled by Cossey.

One wicket brought another as Hudson bowled Payne for a second 50 at Hemsby.

This was Hudson' s first wicket v Rollesby. Hemsby now scented victory and this was duly achieved by 25 runs.

MoM: Peter Eagle/Brett Colclough.

Congratulations to Nathan and the second team for their improved performances.

MoM v Lowestoft: C Michael Smith and v Old Buckenham Nick Dack.

SOUTH WALSHAM enjoyed a six- wicket win against a spirited Southtown side in a 40-over match on Southtown Common.

Batting first on a good track, Southtown added 32 for the first wicket before Nick Mobbs was well caught by Jack Belton off Paul Woods for 14.

Runs became difficult to come by as the Walsham bowlers took the pace off the ball and frustration got the better of both Chapman and Edmonds, both stumped.

Doggett and Wellsby got the score moving as they both got into the 20s but excellent bowling from Chris Woods 1-13 and Stuart Mallett 2-16, both off their eight allotted overs, kept the runs down.

After 40 overs the youthful Southtown side reached a creditable total of 156-7.

After tea Dave Watkins continued his excellent form and started finding the boundary with great regularity, the

faster the bowlers bowled the quicker the ball seemed to reach the ropes.

Watkins passed 15,000 runs for the club as he raced on to 77 before being caught by Nick Mobbs off Noakes.

Wickets had fallen at the other end, but Andy Scales got in on the act with a cultured 37 not out. Skipper Paul Woods hit the winning runs as Walsham reached 160-4 with seven overs to spare.

BELTON'S beleaguered Norfolk League cricketers avenged their early-season defeat at Old Catton with a confidence-boosting win at the Common.

Put in to bat on a dry but green pitch Belton skipper Tom Knight had reason to fear the worst, fragile batting having contributed to the poor start to the season. However, Steve Day and Gary Warner were soon calmly stroking the ball to all parts until with the score on 33 Day (15) was fooled by one from Young.

Warner hit mostly fours. Adam Savoury was bowled for 19. Warner soon departed for 28 and Jay Patel and Farhad Khan had to rebuild. After a rain break the score had reached 104 when Khan perished on the boundary, caught by Loone. Patel got good support from Knight as Belton reached

148-5 from 30 overs. Patel was well caught for 32 and Knight skied one to the same fielder and departed for 30.

After the break, Cameron Nichols (42) and Liam Peake (eight) built what proved to be the match-winning partnership. Belton finished on 208-9, topping the 200 mark for only the second time this season.

Old Catton stacked up 58 runs for the first wicket. Belton were forced into early bowling changes. Harry Chanchalani, Peake and Nichols took wickets and Belton were back in the game with the visitors on 100-4 from 20 overs. Catton struggled to 127-7 from 28 overs. Victory was on the cards but Lakey, Harris and Clemitson had other ideas. With Knight forced to juggle his meagre bowling resources, Lakey took the opportunity to stroke his way to 41 before Knight took a smart caught and bowled to leave Old Catton struggling on 152.

With the last pair at the wicket Belton struggled to make an impression. Barry Clemitson, batting with a runner, was not out 26 at the end and he got excellent support from Young (26).

Finally, Gary Warner snapped up his third catch of the innings at long-on to dismiss Young and Belton hung on for a deserved win by 13 runs.

GREAT YARMOUTH A entertained unbeaten Sprowston at the Beaconsfield and came away with a hard-fought victory by just

two runs.

Sprowston decided to field first in cloudy conditions, the opening pair of Harvey and Irvine putting on 35 before Irvine (21) was caught on the third-man boundary.

The introduction of spin from both ends saw the next six overs produced just six runs. Hodds was bowled for two with the score 39-2 in the 14th over.

TG Doggett joined Harvey and the runs started to flow again as the spinners were finding it hard with a damp ball. They added 64 in 15 overs when Harvey was caught for 44. Kaplila and Doggett continued the momentum to 150 before G Doggett was caught for 48. With five overs left Yarmouth looked to push on to 200 and J Doggett was supporting Kapila well. The pair added 30 in quick time when Kapila was stumped going for another big hit with the score now 180-5 in the 43rd over. The total was192-5.

The Sprowston reply started poorly as Campbell was caught behind off Cockrill

(3-29). Pearce and Squire took the score to 81 when Pearce holed out to Kapila at mid-off, off the returning Noakes (2-23). This became 89-3 when Squire was stumped by Doggett off Johnston (1-42).

Noakes then had Day caught behind for seven to leave the score 115- 4 in the 34th over. With 78 needed off 11 with six wickets in hand Yarmouth still had work

to do.

Spilling and Austin took the score to 158 in the 41st over before Austin was caught and bowled by Cockrill for 21.

Cook joined Spilling started to edge closer to the total. Yarmouth looked to have got back into contention when Cook was caught behind for eight. With 19 required from two overs Yarmouth had to get rid of the dangerous Spilling, G Doggett and Harvey combining to run him out for 46. Harvey (1-43) then bowled Roff for six with the last ball of his spell to leave the score 182-8 with 11 required off the last over.

Young Mark Cockrill delivered a tight line and length to restrict the batsman to just singles. The third ball of the over did find the boundary but he kept his nerve and restricted the batsman to just seven runs giving Yarmouth victory by two runs.

Burton Arms MoM: Mark Cockrill, for his bowling at the end of the innings. A special mention to the rest of the team who despite a couple of dropped chances fielded superbly to back up the bowlers, especially James Doggett with four dismissals behind the stumps.