League leaders Downham cruise to a seven-wicket win
League leaders Downham returned home with with a comfortable seven-wicket win from Brooke at the weekend.
After winning to toss, Brooke chose to bat first and made a steady start reaching 40 without loss.
It took the introduction of Dom Corbett to make the breakthrough for the Norfolk Alliance Premier Division pacesetters, clean-bowling Watson for 34.
After that wickets fell at regular intervals with Addam Todd (3 for 37) bowling a fantastic spell in the middle.
There was some resistance in the middle as Ali Shearer held the Brooke innings together with a well-made 68.
It was left to Nathan Green (4 for 33) to clean up the tail as Brooke were dismissed for 227 in the final over with Rob Hooton also picking up a couple of wickets.
Town started well with the bat with Ian Harrison taking the attack to the Brooke opening bowlers.
Harrison made a quickfire 32 before being adjudged leg-before-wicket.
Jack Gould (45) replaced him and he and Alex Stuart put on 50 for the second wicket.
Stuart played very well, hitting some superb boundaries on his way to 49.
Harrison Gregory continued where Stuart had left off, continuing his fine form as he and Yates (27 not out) finished the game off at a canter.
Gregory finished on 63 not out as Town cruised over the line with three overs to spare.
Town face a local derby at home to Stow on Saturday where they hope to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Garboldisham beat
Stow by 3 runs
Stow suffered back-to-back defeats with an agonising three-run defeat away at Garboldisham.
Captain Otto Esse won the toss and elected to field on a good-looking surface.
The Stow opening bowlers both struck early as Dan Ward found the shoulder of Leech’s bat to be caught by Pete Brassett.
Brassett was the grateful recipient for Stow’s second wicket as Lloyd Richmond got a deserved wicket when Allin edged behind. Sam Morgan then removed Wilby as he hit a short ball straight to Ed Landymore for 31 and a direct hit from Tom High saw Davey run-out.
Esse ran-out Pask from the boundary before Harry Phoneix was removed by Brassett soon after reaching his half century.
Both Esse and Morgan mopped up the tail as Garboldisham were bowled out for 200 with an over left of their 50.
Stow opened the batting with Amit Dhadwal and Dan Ward.
The unpredictable nature of the pitch with the new ball saw the downfall of Dhadwal as a ball on a good length rose sharply and took the glove which was then taken by the keeper.
Tom High joined Ward and both players combined boundaries with some good running.
Pask then removed High and Landymore joined Ward, who continued to play well off the front foot.
After reaching 70 without too much trouble, Stow lost two quick wickets with Ward going for a well-made 35 and Landymore following him for 21.
Garboldisham’s spinners then took control of the innings and, when Esse was finally caught, Stow found themselves in trouble.
The trio of George Cook, Jack Southgate and Morgan were dismissed in quick succession and Stow were looking down the barrel of a big defeat at 119 for 8.
Lloyd Richmond and Jamie Cook then started playing positively with the latter hitting two maximums as Stow passed 175.
With the score on 196, Richmond was bowled for 23 leaving Stow needing four off the final over with one wicket remaining.
Cook then edged behind a cut shot to give Garboldisham a thrilling three-run victory.
Anglia Car Auction man-of-the-match: Jamie Cook.
