Belton’s claim for one of the two promotion places in Norfolk League Division One grew stronger with a comfortable 31-run win over St Andrews at Southtown Common.

Batting first, the home side initially struggled to score off some accurate bowling from Warminger and Parsons, who clocked up nine maidens in their 13-over opening salvos.

Toll (7) fell early, but Day (38) and the in-form Savoury (65 not out) pushed the score on to 86 in the 24th over. Day nicked Bailey to the keeper, allowing skipper Ali (42) to add another 59 runs with Savoury for the third wicket. Cropley (49 not out) gave the innings impetus, and despite some late success for the visiting bowlers, Belton posted a useful 225-5 off their 45 overs.

Required to score at five runs an over, Parsons and Craney kept up with the asking rate, and when they fell to the change bowlers, the Warmingers pushed the score to 102 off 22 overs.

The experienced Paul Oxbury caused real alarm in the Belton camp with a stylish 70, being dropped twice, and whilst he was at the wicket St Andrews were in the box seat.

Skipper Saj Ali brought himself on and produced a match-winning spell of 4-14 off four overs, St Andrews subsiding to 194 all out.

Tolly’s Tusker MoM: Adam Savoury.

Belton are sponsored by Certex Lifting Products and Services.

Belton: S Day c Warminger b Bailey 38, A Toll b Warminger 7, A Savoury not out 65, S Ali c Dugdale b Carney 42, J Patel run out 1, T Knight c Bailey b Carney 0, C Cropley not out 49; extras 23. Total: 225-5. Bowling: Warminger 12-4-51-1, Parsons 6-5-4-0, Feestone 7-0-41-0, Bailey 11-0-55-1, Carney 9-0-61-2.

St Andrews: P Parsons b Knight 29, G Carney b Salman 13, T Warminger c Warner b Nichols 21, S Warminger lbw Knight 17, P Oxbury b Ali 70, P Foan b Knight 8, M Freestone c Day b Ali 13, J Dugdale c Day b Nichols 1, A Bailey b Ali 7, J Manning b Ali 0, J Clarke not out 0; extras: 10. Total: (43.1 overs) 194. Bowling: Salman Ali 9-1-52-1, C Nichols 11-1-48-2, T Knight 12-0-46-3, M Jawed 7-1-24-0, Sajid Ali 4.1-0-14-4.