ON a cold, rainy day at Bridewell Lane, Acle welcomed Brooke in a Norfolk Alliance Premier Division match sponsored by Wroxham Post Office and Supermarket.

ON a cold, rainy day at Bridewell Lane, Acle welcomed Brooke in a Norfolk Alliance Premier Division match sponsored by Wroxham Post Office and Supermarket.

Despite the losing draw, this was an improved performance by Acle on a miserable day.

Brooke batted first on what despite the showers, looked like a decent track and their first-class Indian overseas star soon got in his stride and looked comfortable against the Acle opening bowlers.

Despite the Acle attack doing a reasonable job, Dewan single-handedly got Brooke off to a flier, scoring 116 in quick time.

Timms was caught by Roberts for 12, but when Panter joined Dewan with the score on 91, the Brooke captain was able to play himself in due to the amount of time left and the start provided by his overseas star.

The pair put on another 104 for the next wicket, and then Panter (110) and Shearer (35) picked up the scoring even more in the final overs and Brooke posted a total of 289-2.

Acle needed to get off to a positive start, but soon lost Adam Munford (5), and then Nobbs (5) and Rob Porter (28) leaving Hugo Nel and skipper Dave Huggins to rebuild at 53-3.

Nel and Huggins put on 40, then Paul Munford and Nel put on another 30, but there was no long-standing partnership, which was what Acle really needed.

When Nel was caught behind off the bowling of Prentice for 55, Geoff Handley and Paul Newman put on 60 in the final overs, with Newman in particularly aggressive form, smashing boundaries for fun and managed to get the Acle total up to 200 for an extra batting point.

They travel to Downham next with improved spirit and returning confidence, which will hopefully see them turn their season around very soon.

Wroxham Post Office and Supermarket Man of the Match: Hugo Nel.

Brooke: R Dewan c Huggins b Porter 116, R Timms c Roberts b Nudd 12, R Panter not out 110, A Shearer not out 35. Total 289-2.

Bowling: P Newman 9-1-48-0, J Lee 12-0-71-0, T Nudd 7-0-35-1, S Roberts 11-0-55-0, R Porter 11-0-79-1.

Acle: A Munford c Shearer b Habershon 5, R Porter st Shearer b Dewan 28, P Nobbs c Prentice b Dewan 5, H Nel c Shearer b Prentice 55, D Huggins c Panter b Dewan 11, P Munford b Pritty 14, G Handley not out 20, P Newman not out 40. Total 200-6. Bowling: J Habershon 12-1-61-1, E Sturman 9-0-49-0, S Pritty 13-4-18-1, R Dewan 13-2-55-3, B Prentice 3-0-10-1.