North Runcton maintain slim title hopes

North Runcton maintained their slim hopes of Norfolk Alliance Premier Division glory with a five-wicket victory at Old Buckenham on Saturday.

Runcton won the toss and chose to bowl first on what seemed a glorious pitch for batting.

The Old Buckenham openers got off to a flyer, scoring 20 off the opening two overs.

K. Chritofols got the first breakthrough and from there wickets tumbled.

J.Major the pick of the Runcton bowlers, ending up with impressive figures of 4 for 15 from his 10 overs.

Special mention to debutant J. Gent (1-20) who, on the call up to the first team, dismissed the dangerous Merrideth in his first over.

B. Coote (2-21) cleaned up the tail to leave the hosts all out for 93.

Runcton openers found the conditions much easier as M. Skipper (21) and G.Rawling (40) put the game to bed with a 60-run

partnership.

However after the first wicket fell, Runcton lost a further four on their way to victory.

With games still to play against sides in the lower reaches of the table over the next month, Runcton still remain in with an outside chance of winning the title.

Ring Associates Man of the Match: J. Major.

Ball Sponsor: Brown & Co.

Acle beat

Downham Town

by nine runs

Downham slipped up in the race for the Norfolk alliance title on Saturday, falling nine runs short against bottom-of-the-table Acle.

Fielding first on another hot day, the Downham bowlers never really settled on the right areas, and with one short boundary playing into the hands of opener Handley, they were always on the back foot.

Not much came from the other end and Addam Todd bowled well taking 4 for 48 and was unlucky not to have five as Yates spilled Handley on the boundary when on 70.

Handley scored a brilliant 111 before finally being removed by Rob Hooton.

The Downham bowlers looked tired in the heat and that allowed Acle’s lower-order to get them up to 265 for the loss of 9 wickets.

Town started steadily with the bat and, apart from losing the early wicket of Harrison, looked comfortable.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, however, and the scoring rate remained between five and six per over throughout their reply.

Those wickets proved to be the downfall of Downham when Jack Gould ran himself out for 81 with only 25 needed, a brilliant direct hit from Wilson his undoing.

Joss Stuart batted brilliantly to give Town a chance, bringing them to within 15 of their target with three overs to go thanks to a big six over mid-wicket.

But some tight bowling and two more run-outs ultimately left Town, who will be looking to return to winning ways against Cromer tomorrow. ruing what might have been.

Shire Foods MoM: Jack Gould.