A destructive spell of fast bowling from Winterton’s Charles Lockhart, who recorded impressive figures of 7-2-17-7, set up his side’s five-wicket Norfolk Alliance Division Four victory over Ashmanhaugh & Barton Wanderers.

Ashmanhaugh elected to bat first and after some early sparring Lockhart settled into his work. Bowling with pace and accuracy he induced a number of false shots from the batsmen who surprisingly still continued to try and attack at all opportunities. Lockhart struck in his second over when Eagleton edged to Clarke in the gulley. His next over resulted in a further two wickets in successive balls.

Sandwiched in between Allen who was also bowling quickly at the other end bowled the dangerous Littlehales.

Ashmanhaugh tried to consolidate but after a less frenetic period of cricket Lockhart’s sixth over saw him strike a further three times although he unfortunately missed out on a hat trick.

One more over saw Lockhart begin to tire although he still took another wicket to leave Ashmanhaugh in disarray at 49-9.

Kotcha (11 not out) and Ahmed (13) showed more discipline then the earlier batsmen and dragged the score up to 73 when Danny Snowling induced a false shot from Ahmed to be caught and bowled. Ben Utting was Winterton’s other wicket taker.

Clarke and Playford began the reply and got off to a brisk start when with the score at 20 in the 3rd over Bunting achieved a bit of extra lift to brush Clarke’s glove and who was caught behind for 16.

At 28 Playford (4) was also caught off the same bowler – his first low score of what has so far been a good season.

Geoff Roper and Martin Witheridge worked the bowling around with few alarms, apart from their usual misunderstanding when running, to take Winterton within five of their target.

There was then a minor alarm as the spinner Pepper induced both Witheridge (9) and Noble-Parker (2) to edge to the keeper. Roper was also lbw to Ahmed for 22.

The game ended when Ahmed fired the ball down the legside for four byes to give Winterton victory and make extras the top scorer.

Winterton’s win keeps them in the promotion hunt but they will surely have a more difficult task away at Thetford in their next game.