Cricket round-up

ACLE travelled to Cromer in the Norfolk Alliance Premier Division and suffered a batting collapse.

They were hoping to make amends for the poor performance the previous week which resulted in a comfortable win for North Runcton.

With the wicket looking a damp and soft, Acle skipper Dave Huggins elected to field first. With Geoff Handley bowling accurately the home side were reduced to 50-5.

But Acle again let their opposition off the hook and poor bowling resulted in Warnes (55) and the Cromer lower order steering the home side to 209-8 from their 50 overs.

Acle got off to a positive start with Rob Porter and Adam Munford again scoring freely on the small Cromer ground.

But once Porter was dismissed the rest of the Acle top and middle order collapsed like a pack of cards and finished on 118 all out.

The wicket at Cromer was certainly bowler friendly, but a combination of poor bowling from the Acle bowlers and a lack of grit and concentration from the Acle batsmen resulted in another heavy defeat.

This must improve in time for the next game at home against Brooke.

Great Yarmouth beat Caister by one wicket in Norfolk League Division One

They completed a stunning comeback with a thrilling last-ball win over Caister who were asked to bat first on what turned out to be a placid Beaconsfield wicket.

A gale blowing down the pitch saw the Yarmouth captain decide to bowl both his usual openers from one end and instead paired Oxborough with Ellis as the new-ball partnership.

Caister were progressing at a steady two runs an over until Ellis bowled Kerrison (10).

A double bowling change quickly led to another wicket as Ruddick brought one back to bowl Johnson (11) but crucially Cockrill was unlucky to see Stokes give a chance that was put down.

R Brown (22) showed his intentions immediately with big shots, however the threat was ended when Simon Ruddick ran round to take a superb diving catch at long on. P Brown also made 22 before being bowled by R Ruddick (3-49). French (15) helped keep the run rate up before Ellis trapped him leg before. Captain Green (17no) joined Stokes as the latter passed 50 and the pair saw Caister through to close on 186-5 with Stokes 59 not out.

The Yarmouth reply was quickly mired down by some accurate Caister bowling.

Kerrison and Tennant took the new ball and conceded only 14 from the first 11 overs.

R Brown (1-36) replaced Tennant with immediate effect as Sole (3) was sent back and then Ryan Brown had Fitzsimmons (13) caught behind. Nicholls and Derry appeared to have things moving forward until a mix-up nearly saw Nicholls run out. Two balls later Nicholls was well short of his ground and run out for 13.

Hak joined Derry and the run rate finally crept over two an over but it had taken 25 overs to do it. The pair accelerated and got the home side to 83 before Derry (18) was bowled by Green (2-18) and when the Caister captain had Hak (33) caught behind nine runs later the home side's challenge looked nearly done, with 95 runs needed from less than 12 overs.

Simon Ruddick then turned the game on its head with a majestic innings. In partnership first with Ellis (8) and then his brother Richie Yarmouth began to reel in the Caister total.

Ten runs were plundered from the 40th over before 14 from the 41st and 43rd. Ruddick (57) had taken another 14 from the penultimate over including a glorious straight six before French took an outstanding catch down the leg side to remove him.

The last over saw 11 runs still required but crucially Richie Ruddick was on strike. The first four balls saw plenty of drama as four runs were scored and two batsmen run out. Seven runs were needed from two balls and the last-wicket pairing were at the crease but Ruddick (23 not out) showed no sign of feeling the pressure as he lofted the penultimate ball over the boundary to tie the scores.

A scampered leg bye from the final delivery saw the home side to a victory that at one point seemed well beyond them.

Burton Arms Man of the Match - Simon Ruddick for his match-changing 57.

Caister: R Stokes not out 59, R Kerrison b Ellis 10, M Johnson b R Ruddick 11, R Brown c S Ruddick b R Ruddick 22, P Brown b R Ruddick 22, P French lbw Ellis 15, I Greene not out 17; extras 30. Total (5 wkts) 186. Bowling: Ellis 12-3-29-2, Oxborough 12-2-31-0, Cockrill 6-1-28-0, R Ruddick 12-1-49-3, Lokesh 3-0-28-0.

Great Yarmouth: M Sole c P Brown b R Brown 3, L Fitzsimmons c French b Ryan Brown 13, K Nicholls run out 13, N Derry b Green 18, S Hak c French b Green 33, S Ruddick c French b Kerrison 57, A Ellis b Myhill 8, R Ruddick not out 23, T Oxborough run out 0, Lokesh run out 0, M Cockrill not out 0; extras 19. Total (9 wkts) 187. Bowling: Kerrison 11-2-40-1, Tennant 5-1-6-0, R Brown 9-0-36-1, Ryan Brown 9-3-31-1, Myhill 7-0-42-1, Green 4-0-18-2.

Halvergate drew at Hardingham in Norfolk Cricket Alliance Division Four.

Halvergate put in a mixed performance and as a result were only able to salvage a losing draw.

Hardingham were asked to bat first on a damp wicket which made life difficult for the batsmen. Tim Crane and Simon Fox bowled well without success and frequently beat the bat. The Hardingham openers reached 47 after 16 overs.

It took a brilliant piece of fielding from Luke Hannant to bring Halvergate a break-through when he made a diving stop and then threw down the stumps as he got to his feet, leaving the batsman stranded.

R Fowle had survived an appeal for caught behind early on but started to bat more confidently and with A Duckham brought up the team's 100 in the 28th over with only one wicket down, and Duckham in particular started to find the short boundaries regularly.

When Fowle eventually fell for 60 the score had raced on to 154 after 37 overs. Duckham continued with his onslaught and the Halvergate bowling and fielding seemed to suffer from the barrage. Some dropped chances and loose deliveries did nothing to slow the scoring as Hardingham went on to score more than 100 runs from the last nine overs. The innings closed on 257 for 3 with Duckham being caught on the boundary from the last delivery for 120.

With the wicket improving and some short boundaries, Halvergate did not consider the steep target beyond them and 30 runs came from the first six overs for the loss of one wicket.

The 13th over proved unlucky for the Hares as the previous week's centurion, Pat Hill, was run out and then skipper Steven Clarke, who had batted superbly for his 37, was caught.

Another wicket fell a few overs later to leave the innings teetering on 70 for 4 after 16 overs. Tim Armstrong and Steve Cooke steadied the ship but the innings took a further bad turn as three wickets fell in the space of two overs to leave Halvergate on 96 for 7 at the halfway point.

Cooke was joined by Tim Crane and the pair put on 49 runs before Crane was trapped lbw for 30 in the 42nd over.

Cooke managed to farm most of the strike in the final few overs, and kept his nerve to bat out for a losing draw and finished on 28 not out.

Halvergate were made to pay dearly for some slips in the field and for some soft dismissals when batting but will have to put these behind them in an important game at home to bottom-placed Aldborough.

Hardingham: O Howes run out 23, R Fowle c Hannant b Shepstone 63, A Duckham c Hannant b Fox 120, A Goodrum not out 36; extras 14. Total (3 wkts) 257. Bowling: T Crane 12-2-47-0, S Fox 9-0-47-1, S Howley 9-1-38-0, M Shepstone 11-1-78-1, P Hill 5-0-35-0.

Halvergate: S Clarke c b J Goodrum 37, L Hannant c b Howes 14, P Hill run out 0, T Armstrong c b Burt 16, C Key c b Burt 3, S Cooke not out 28, M Shepstone b Duckham 0, S Howley b Duckham 2, T Crane lbw A Goodrum 30, S Fox not out 0; extras 28. Total (8 wkts) 158. Bowling: J Goodrum 13-3-53-1, O Howes 6-0-28-1, Burt 11-0-25-2, A Duckham 6-2-19-2, Sparks 7-2-24-0, A Goodrum 3-2-1-1.

Rollesby travelled to Postwick where they lost despite a

five-wicket haul for Cook.

Visiting skipper Duxbury elected to chase on a flat wicket. Catton got off to a slow start thanks to a fiery opening spell from Cook, which saw him uproot Amos' middle stump, and cause Franks no end of trouble. Sparkes toiled manfully into the wind at the other end for no reward and the run rate climbed steadily throughout the innings. A bright finish for Catton was ensured by Cooke (34) with some lusty blows at the end to take them to 171-9. Cook finished with 5-31.

The Rollesby reply began in familiar fashion, a solid start crumbling into a catastrophic collapse. Only J Browing (14), J Payne (12) and the aggressive Green (24) made double figures. Rollesby limped to 100 all out, Franks being the chief destroyer with 4-26.

MoM sponsored by Filby KH: D Cook (5-31).

Old Catton: S Amos b Cook 5, A Franks c England b Flett 41, P Prime c D Cook b Duxbury 33, G Fossey c J Browning b Flett 21, D Prime st Chaney b Duxbury 13, J Cooke b Cook 34, S Jackson b Cook 1, R Brown b Cook 7, C Hutchinson not out 6, A Harris b Cook 0; extras 10. Total 171-9. Bowling: D Cook 12-5-31-5, R Sparkes 10-0-41-0, B England 7-0-30-0, N Flett 12-1-39-2, M Duxbury 4-0-22-2.

Rollesby: M Duxbury c Fossey b Cooke 7, J Browning lbw Cooke 14, A Chaney run out 8, J Payne b Franks 12, M Browning b Jackson 0, D Cook b Jackson 2, N Flett c Prime b Franks 7, J Green c Prime b Franks 24, J Thackray st Fossey b Jackson 4, B England lbw Franks 7, R Sparkes not out 5; extras 10. Total 100. Bowling: A Harris 12-3-17-0, J Cooke 8-1-22-2, S Jackson 11-2-27-3, A Franks 7-0-26-4.

Rollesby A entertained Happisburgh A with Jimmy Catchpole hitting 96 not out.

Stand-in skipper Pearce lost the toss and Rollesby were put into bat. Fakes and Pearce, made a watchful start against some tight bowling. Fakes started to become more aggressive and fell in the 13th over for 28 with the score on 38.

Jimmy Catchpole joined Pearce and the pair had added 13 runs when Pearce fell for 11 in the 17th over. This brought 16-year-old George Barnden to the crease.

A terrific partnership followed with the pair adding 153 runs without further loss of wickets. The Rollesby innings closed on 204-2 with Jimmy Catchpole undefeated on 96 and George Barnden not out on 44.

Rollesby struck early in the Happisburgh reply with Fakes catching Rowley off the bowling of Websdale for two.

However Voisey and Trivett started the fightback scoring 35 and 28 respectively before both were dismissed, clean bowled by the impressive 15-year-old Ryan Lewis.

Happisburgh continued to chase the target with Mash batting very well for his 62 not out. However, the Happisburgh innings closed on 183-6 with Catchpole picking up three wickets.

Filby King's Head Men of the Match: Jimmy Catchpole 96 not out and 3 for 32 and George Barnden 44 not out and 0 for 29 off 12 overs.

Rollesby A: A Fakes b Trivett 28, M Pearce c Breeze b Mash 11, J Catchpole not out 96, G Barnden not out 44; extras 25. Total 204-2. Bowling: D Trivett 12-2-58-1, Voisey 12-3-44-0, Mash 9-1-40-1, M Trivett 5-0-19-0, R Trivett 4-0-22-0, Breeze 3-0-16-0.

Happisburgh A: R Voisey b Lewis 35, L Rowley c Fakes b Websdale 2, D Trivett b Lewis 28, R Mash not out 62, J Breeze b Catchpole 2, J Langford st Fakes b Catchpole 9, T Taylor c Barnden b Catchpole 0, C Breeze not out 18; extras 27. Total 183-6. Bowling: R Websdale 12-0-61-1, G Barnden 12-4-29-0, R Lewis 10-0-49-2, J Catchpole 11-1-32-3.

Belton's game on Saturday against East Harling featured a batting collapse by the home side and some stern defence and big hitting by the Harling lower order.

Sent in to bat on what seemed a wicket slightly softer than usual, Belton's openers Steve Day and Alec Toll put on yet another 50 partnership before Day mis-timed an attempted drive and was caught for 29.

Toll went on to top score for Belton with 26 and he got some support from Adam Savoury (26) and Sajid Ali (13).

At 119 for 4 after 33 overs the home side were well placed, so they thought, to push on to a good score. No-one else made double figures. Critically, more than three overs were wasted at the end of the innings. Belton finished on 145 from 41.1 overs.

Spirits were lifted when Saj Ali bowled R Free with the second ball of the East Harling reply. With Salman Ali bowling miserly from the Gorleston end and Sajid steaming in from the Southtown end, Harling were in danger of being completely bogged down.

Crucially, they crawled to 56 from 20 overs without losing another wicket before Cameron Nichols struck to remove K Seymour, caught by Salman for 29. Saj Ali had Hilton caught stunningly in the gully by Tom Knight, but Harling were still well placed on 101 for 4 with 15 overs left.

Wickets finally began to tumble. Jubb, Wells and Fisher mustered only three runs between them with Saj Ali in full flow - bowling with pace and guile.

Finally, Harling found an anchor around which to resist the onslaught. M Pill got 25 valuable runs and even though Tom Knight picked up the wicket of Macrow, Belton could not successfully defend such a low score.

East Harling finished on 150 for 8 from 43.5 overs.

Belton: S Day c S Fowler b Ayton 29, A Toll run out 36, A Savoury run out 26, S Ali b Pill 13, C Cropley c-b Hilton 7, T Knight b Pill 2, C Nichols c Jubb b Hilton 2, A Sharma st Wells b Fowler 8, G Warner lbw Fowler 3, H Chanchalani not out 0, A Salman b Fowler 6; extras 13. Total 145. Bowling: A Macrow 6-1-30-0, S Fowler 8.1-1-21-3, S Ayton 8-1-31-1, M Pill 12-0-34-2, S Hilton 7-0-26-2.

East Harling: R Free b S Ali 0, R Pickerill b S Ali 37, K Seymour c Sal Ali b Nichols 29, S Hilton c-b S Ali 30, M Jubb b S Ali 0, B Wells b Sal Ali 1, S Fisher b S Ali 2, M Pill not out 25, A Macrow c Warner b Knight 1; extras 21. Total (8 wkts) 150. Bowling: S Ali 12-3-35-5, A Salman 12-6-17-1, T Knight 9-3-35-1, C Nichols 8.5-0-42-1, G Warner 2-0-6-0.

Winterton celebrated a hard- earned, but fully deserved, victory over a sporting Norwich Wanderers B side at Buxton.

Playing at a changed venue on an unpredictable pitch Winterton lost the toss and found themselves facing varying bounce and pace, losing S Drake early. S Tooley battled hard with D Crawley and K Lawes on a new wicket.

A Spelman cared little for the difficult conditions and hit two superb sixes in his 34.

Spelman and the other 16-year-old, B Pilkington, took time off from revision to raise a good total of 134.

It needed a major effort to thwart a strong batting side on a drying pitch and Winterton produced.

A Spelman got the breakthrough and then wickets fell regularly although T Beedon stubbornly resisted with a robust and thoughtful innings.

D Crawley was outstanding behind the stumps, helping all the bowlers.

Mentions to S Drake; M Holsworth; Geri Gyde and T Whichelow who, after a shaky start, took vital wickets. All contributed in a competitive performance. Overall, an impressive team performance.

Hemsby lost to Hingham by four wickets in Lucas Fettes Norfolk League Divison Five

The Hemsby skipper choose to bat. The openers put on 52 when D Ryan gifted his wicket in the 11th over for 14.

When Colclough and Boylan both fell in quick succession this left Hemsby in real trouble but Hudson along with Shepherd put on a good and much-needed partnership of 45.

Shepherd then was dismissed in Edwards last over for a well made 25, it was then left to Hudson to keep the score moving and try to get his team towards the 200 mark.

Hudson fell for an excellent 82, which left Hemsby's lower order which very nearly reached 200, Hemsby bowled out for a very below par 191.

L Boylan bowled with good pace and aggression and yet again it looked like not being his day with edges flying to the boundary. Boylan finally got the Hingham skipper in his seventh over caught behind.

In contrast, G Hudson yet again picked up an early wicket with J Seago taking a sharp chance. R Taylor and B Colclough both picked up two wickets and Hemsby looked in with a chance. But they could not remove Guy who saw his side home, finishing with a very well-played 69 not out.

D&K Hoardings and Partitions man of the match: George Hudson.

Hemsby: G Hudson c b Guy 82, D Ryan c b Cooper 14, B Colclough b Edwards 0, L Boylan b Edwards 1, R Shepherd b Edwards 25, J Tye c b Dicks 12, I Perry b Guy 8, J Seago b Butcher 12, J Clarke c b Guy 1, G Gislam run out 1, R Taylor not out 15; extras 20. Total 191. Bowling: J Dicks 12-5-29-1, C Edwards 12-3-30-3, A Cooper 9-0-54-1, T Butcher 4-0-37-1, S Guy 7-2-33-3.

Hingham: D Key c Ryan b Boylan 30, S Gear-Hardy c Seago b Hudson 0, C Edwards b Taylor 26, ST Guy not out 69, T Butcher c Shepherd b Colclough 17, S Guy b Taylor 10, D Johnson b Colclough 0, D Reeve not out 20; extras 20. Total (6 wkts) 192. Bowling: L Boylan 12-1-61-1, G Hudson 9-3-25-1, R Taylor 6-0-31-2, R Shepherd 8.2-0-42-0, B Colclough 5-0-23-2.