Acle travelled to Topcroft in determined mood after losing out in a very close encounter against the Norfolk Alliance champions the previous week.But rain followed them, and the Premier Division game was reduced to 35 overs per side.

Acle travelled to Topcroft in determined mood after losing out in a very close encounter against the Norfolk Alliance champions the previous week.

But rain followed them, and the Premier Division game was reduced to 35 overs per side.

Acle had to settle for a winning draw and 17 points.

This was an improved performance by Acle, but there was still work to be done in order to improve further in time for tomorrow's visit of North Runcton to Bridewell Lane.

Topcroft skipper James Shipley won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Acle got off to the worst start possible, losing danger man Rob Porter who was caught behind from the first ball of the innings.

Franks soon followed, guiding a delivery from the Topcroft overseas player Gunawardene to gulley.

This left Acle in a spot of bother at

9-2, with new batsmen Matt Short and Adam Munford at the crease.

Both batsman consolidated at first but soon became fluent, with

Munford creaming a huge straight six off the bowling of Todd, and Short despatching Gunawardene to all parts of the ground.

With the score on 61, Munford pushed off for a single, only to slip and lose his ground and was subsequently run out for 17. Huggins (1) was also run out, which brought Paul Newman to the crease.

Newman played sensibly, giving Short the strike to begin with and picking up singles. With 10 overs to go both players started to open up, and the runs flowed.

The pair had put on 82 when Newman was caught by Baldwin off the bowling of Todd for 41. Paul Munford joined Short and the pair pushed on, adding another 20 to the total in no time, before Short missed a straight one from Warburton and was bowled for a very impressive 89.

Sixteen more runs were added to the Acle total and they finished with 175-6 from 35 overs.

Acle's bowlers put Topcroft under pressure from the start, Newman particularly bowling good line and length and going for just three runs from his opening spell of four overs.

Jon Lee soon made inroads into the Topcroft top order, and bowled Baldwin for three, and then the dangerous Gunawardene was caught behind by Huggins off the bowling of Lee for one.

Neil Grady and Josh Rowe replaced the opening pair and continued to chip away. Grady bowled with increased venom from the previous week, and Rowe found good lines.

Grady bowled Warburton with a quick snorter, and Rowe proceeded

to remove Hancock (caught A Munford) and captain Shipley (caught Newman).

With the Topcroft top order all back in the hutch, Acle continued to press hard to take the last five wickets.

Jon Lee returned to the attack and removed Holmes and Batty, but Goodfellow (36) and the experienced Todd managed to keep their wickets intact.

The game finished with Topcroft on 110-7.

Man of the match: Matt Short for his classy 89.