Rollesby kept their push to retain their Norfolk League Division One title on track with a 40-run win at South Walsham against Vauxhall Mallards.

Invited to bat, Rollesby openers captain Matt Duxbury and Browning went out to face the opening attack of Oxley and W Green, the latter looking to build on the seven-wicket haul he took last week against Ketteringham Hall.

In the 7th over youngster Oxley, bowling at a brisk pace undid Browning (9) with a fast full toss that rattled the timbers.

Three balls later the prevous week’s century-maker Duxbury (4) fell to W. Green as King took a sharp one-handed catch at first slip.

In the next over change bowler C Green’s opening leg side half-volley was delicately played by Chaney (0) into the hands of the square leg fielder.

S Alger came to the crease and watched P Cook (9) get bowled by W Green. He looked to rebuild the innings with Derry as the score stood at 31-4.

As the partnership was beginning to bloom Alger was stung on the pads and much to his dismay was adjudged LBW off the bowling of C Green for 9.

He was replaced by the Norfolk Cricket League’s unanimous winner of the Player of the Month for May, Chris Alger.

Alger lost his partner Derry who was cleaned out by a jaffa from change bowler Aston.

Derry was the only batsman in the top six to make double figures, an unlucky 13.

Barnden joined the fray and put on useful runs with Alger.

Although scoring wasn’t difficult to come by with a number of extras boosting the total, the Rollesby batsmen kept finding ways of getting out.

C Alger (17) was out lbw to Aston while D Cook was bowled for a swift 9.

When Barnden was caught at mid-on for 10, Rollesby were 115-9. Thankfully Vickers was at hand to see the team past 120 and the innings ended when Sparkes was bowled by young King.

The left-hander clearly put off by the fact an over earlier the sightscreen was blown over once again.

Rollesby were all out for 126, Vickers top-scoring with 19 not out.

The opening attack of Alger and Vickers were on the hunt for early wickets to relieve the pressure. Vickers’ first ball cleaned up Betts and Rollesby were off to the best possible start.

The bowler was then reminded that as he cleaned up Caister’s number eight and nine last week to end the game, he had claimed a hat-trick.

Upon further review, it is not a hat-trick if the wickets are claimed between two different matches.

Still steaming into the gale Vickers struck with the first ball of his second over, Brown (5) caught by Duxbury in the slips.

When Alger followed up with two of his own wickets in the next two overs Mallards weret 10-4 from the opening seven overs.

It fell to W Green to rebuild the innings and he found support from J Brown and the pair frustrated Rollesby for another 10 overs until Alger, with the wind behind found the edge of Brown’s bat, S Alger taking the sharp chance at gully.

Green was continuing to play well and was finding boundaries down the ground and new support from Hughes.

Rollesby changed the bowling in search of the next breakthrough with the left arm duo of Duxbury and Sparkes into the attack.

Both bowled well but Green was still finding the odd boundary.

In Duxbury’s sixth over he enticed Hughes (11) to play the big shot, but all he could do was find the perfectly placed S Alger at long-off.

Sparkes, who had just been edged through the slips for four found the edge of Green’s bat very next ball and the chance was gleefully accepted by Chaney.

Green was dismissed for a useful 43.

Skipper Duxbury then cleaned up the tail to finish with 4-21 as Vauxhall Mallards ‘B’ were all out for 86.

Fleggburgh Kings Arms MoM: Paul Vickers, primarily for bowling into the wind, also topscoring with the bat, taking 2-20 and maybe a hat-trick?