Steve Gray smashed a century as Swardeston jumped into second spot in the East Anglian Premier League table.
Steve Gray smashed a century as Swardeston jumped into second spot in the East Anglian Premier League table.
Gray's 116 and Joe Gatting's unbeaten 85 helped Swardeston to a 93-run at Cambridge Granta.
Leaders Sudbury are still way ahead – they have a 47-point advantage – after a 101-run win at Copdock and Old Ipswichian.
Great Witchinhgam also jumped up, just a place to third, after winning at Bury St Edmunds, while Norwich ended Vauxhall Mallards' recent winning run and Horsford were thumped at Mildenhall.
Swardeston were put in to bat by Granta and lost opener Jordan Taylor for three. Jason Reynolds scored 24 whilst Gray and then Gatting made hay. When Gray finally went, the pair had pushed Swardeston's score up to 214-3. But there was little else in the way of support for Gatting who steered the visitors to 262-7 off 64 overs.
In reply, Granta were bowled out for 169 thanks in no small part to 39 from number eight batsman Alex Sears. The damage with the ball was done by Joseph Flatt (3-31), Freddie Ruffell (2-12) and Thomas Oxley (2-37).
Mallards headed to Ingham on the back of a four-match winning run, but were brought down to earth by their hosts, who are struggling one place off the bottom of the table.
Norwich chose to bat and were indebted to a massive unbeaten 156 from Jack Newby as they totalled 284-7 in 64 overs. Ashley Watson made 48 and Lewis Sexton 43 for Norwich, with two wickets apiece for Ben France, Nichols Smit and Sam Tinkler.
Mallards got off to a poor start in reply, opener Matt Plater (12) and Matthew Austin (7) going cheaply. Ollie Stone (55) and Troy Allan (34) helped steady the ship, but once Allan went it was hard work. Charlie Nunn made nine but Mallards then slipped from 143-7 to 147 all out – a hefty 137-run defeat.
Horsford were put in to bat by Mildenhall and never really got going. At one stage they were 26-6 – Ryan Findley added a bit of respectability with 18, but when he went the writing was on the wall at 55-8. The only other batsman to reach double figures was Robbie Bridgstock, with 30 not out, who helped nudge the final total up to 98 off 36.3 overs.
The match was officially all over as a contest after 28 overs of Mildenhall's innings, although it could have been worse for Horsford: the hosts lost their openers cheaply and at 14-2 Horsford might have sniffed half a chance, but Tom Westley (37) did enough to push Mildenhall over the line for the loss on four wickets.
Great Witchingham scored a convincing win over a Bury team languishing at the foot of the table.
It was an outstanding day for Norfolk seamer Brett Stolworthy who recorded career best figures of 7-48.
Sam Arthurton won the toss and asked Bury to bat, a decision soon vindicated when Andy Hanby bowled Tom Curran in his second over.
South African Murray Commins joined Alfie Marston and the pair took the score to 53 before Stolworthy got in on the act to take his first wicket of the day when he bowled Marston. Captain Sean Park followed, caught behind by Sam Groves off from first ball of James Spelman's spell. Stolworthy then bowled Cantrell before Hanby accounted for Max Whittaker.
After lunch it was the Stolworthy show as he claimed the remaining five wickets as they were bowled out for 180.
Witchingham got off to a flying start and as openers Spelman and Arthurton (88) put on 156 for the first wicket to all but ensure Witchingham victory and an early finish.
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