Horsford stopped the rot with their first victory in seven matches - but they remain four points adrift at the bottom of the table.

A miserable run, which also included a 30-point deduction for a poor surface at Manor Park, came to an end when Ryan Findlay's side beat visitors Mildenhall by six wickets.

The skipper's decision to bowl first paid off as the Suffolk side were skittled out for just 125 in the 40th over, with Oscar Binny (3-18), Kieron Peters (3-29) and Findlay himself (3-22) all putting in excellent shifts.

The hosts slipped to 63-4 in reply but it was plain sailing after that as John Ratledge (56 not out) and the skipper saw them home with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 63.

It was then a case of waiting for the result from Burwell, who had made a more than respectable 270-7 against Horsford's fellow strugglers Bury St Edmunds. But news of a brilliant run chase by the visitors, which saw them get home with four overs to spare, would have quickly have brought everyone down to earth with a bump.

Norwich kept themselves well clear of the bottom two with an exciting win over Cambridge Granta at Postwick. Will O'Donnell (77) laid the foundations for the hosts' 247, with Jason Blake and Ben Cudden then adding 86 for the ninth wicket.

Granta almost got there - but ended up being bowled out six short off the penultimate delivery.