Vauxhall Mallards began the last quarter of East Anglian Premier League season at home to Norwich with the return to the short format of 50 over games.

And they ended up winning a low scoring encounter by 22 runs, despite being bowled out for just 107.

Norwich won the toss at Halvergate and put the home side in to bat and it looked to be a good decision straight away when Mitchell Todd was out before a run was scored off the bat.

The score was still only 20 when the second wicket fell, 16 of those coming as wides and a leg bye.

Mallards’ batsmen struggled to get runs and like the previous week the middle order made the best scores. Brett Stolworthy (23) came in at number six and stayed to the end and he and Hudson De Lucchi (17) were Mallards’ top scorers.

Without the 29 extras given away by Norwich, over a quarter of the total, Mallards’ 107 for 10 would not have been competitive. Will O’Donnell returned the best bowling with five for 22 off his 10 overs.

Low totals are hard to defend but they can also be hard to overhaul. Norwich began their chase well but also like last week’s match Mallards’ opposition lost more wickets in the process.

Ben France and Mitchell Todd opened the bowling with France getting the early wickets including that of O’Donnell. His wicket was the one to get as he was scoring fairly freely, he hit the only boundary of the Norwich innings in his 20 runs.

Ashley Watson kept the momentum going for 13 more overs but Todd bowled him for 16 when the score was 73. Norwich then lost their remaining four wickets for two runs. Paul Bradshaw, bowling later in the game, got two of them. All Mallards’ bowlers took wickets with France getting four for 12, Todd three for 36, Bradshaw two for eight and Caswell one for 12. Between them they reduced Norwich for 75 all out in 29.2 overs.

Mallards are away to Cambridge Granta tomorrow (11am).

In the Premier Division of the Norfolk Alliance Acle went down by 59 runs at Old Buckenham after being dismissed for just 92.

The Bucks only made 151 themselves, with Joe Flatt taking 3-25, but that total was more than adequate, with only opener Geoff Handley (43) providing prolonged resistance. Acle visit Horsford A tomorrow.