Carl Amos hit a sparkling century as Vauxhall Mallards launched themselves into the title race picture with a demolition job on newcomers Copdock and Old Ipswichians.

With leaders Swardeston forced to hang on grimly for a losing draw at second-placed Saffron Walden, Mallards, the last Norfolk team to win the title, in 2009, took full advantage and now trail their local arch-rivals by eight points.

After Mallards decided to bat, Amos dominated the Brundall outfit's 245-9 total, with his 162-ball ton containing nine fours and four sixes. Paceman Paul Bradshaw ensured that the visitors were never able to get into their stride by ripping out their top order on his way to figures of 4-35 from 12 overs.

Although Copdock recovered from 50-4, they were kept firmly in check by the bowling of Stuart Lipshaw who went on to claim 5 for 56. The only major resistance came from Chris Swallow (41) as the visitors, who had started the day in third place, eventually capitulated to 178 all out in the 63rd over.

Horsford bounced back from the frustration of last week's Friday night call-off, with an emphatic win over Bury St Edmunds at Manor Park. Once again it was the seam and spin combination of Luke Caswell and Chris Brown that did the damage as Bury were skittled for 123 after deciding to bat.

Left-armer Caswell swiftly took out the top trio before Brown stifled all chances of a recovery, with a near 16 overs of beguiling spin which cost a mere 16 runs and claimed four wickets. Despite losing their openers cheaply Horsford were steered to a seven-wicket victory in the 27th over by an unbeaten 97-run partnership between Jaik Mickleburgh (55 no) and James Wild (36 no).

Saffron Walden enjoyed much the better of the battle of the top two after deciding to bat against Swardeston. In-form Australian Glen Batticciotto top-scored with 70 and Andrew Gale supported with a brisk unbeaten 43 as a 248-6 total was posted.

Swardeston's reply never got into gear and at 94-6 the hosts could sense victory but a defiant unbeaten 40 from Lewis Denmark helped the Norfolk side to avoid defeat as they reached 165-9 at the close.

Meanwhile Great Witchingham posted their sixth draw in as many completed matches after being placed on the back foot in pursuit of Burwell's sizeable 268 total.

The Cambridgeshire outfit recovered from a rocky start as Paul Summerskill (69), Glenn Goosen (49) and Marlon Richards (96 not out) led the recovery, with Willie Lonsdale (4-58) the pick of the Witches' bowlers.

With Carl Rogers in action for the club's A team, his regular opening partner James Spelman led the Witches to 187-7 in reply, with an unbeaten 95.

Last year's runnners-up Witchingham will be looking for a change of fortune on Saturday when they entertain reigning champions Cambridge Granta, who are also seeing a different side of EAPL life this term. Granta's frailties were exposed when Robert Wolley's 4-23 helped them to dismiss Sudbury for a mere 105. But the target proved too great as they were skittled for 69, blown away by a Kandage Fernando burst which brought five wickets for seven runs in nine overs, including five maidens.

EAPL SCOREBOARD

• Burwell (16 pts) drew with Great Witchingham (10) at Mingay Park.

Burwell: K Toner b Lonsdale 0, C Summerskill lbw Lonsdale 2, P Richer lbw Lonsdale 3, P Summerskill c Allan b JO Spelman 69, G Goosen lbw JO Spelman 49, M Richards not out 96, D Jones lbw JO Spelman 0, W Lawton run out 8, A Huckle lbw b Collishaw 2, M Bissett b Lonsdale 9, J Vowden st Groves b JM Spelman 10; extras 20. Total (65.5 overs) 268. Bowling: W Lonsdale 15-1-58-4, JM Spelman 14.5-3-64-1, M Seago 5-0-27-0, JO Spelman 18-2-55-3, J Wright 4-0-21-0, T Collishaw 9-2-33-1.

Great Witchingham: JM Spelman not out 95, S Groves b Richards 1, S Arthurton Jnr b Richards 5, T Collishaw lbw Huckle 15, T Allan b Toner 8, S Atherton Snr c Richer b Toner 8, J Page lbw Huckle 16, W Lonsdale b Richards 22, JO Spelman not out 4; extras 13. Total (7 wkts, 55 overs) 187. Bowling: M Richards 14-3-50-3, K Toner 15-2-52-2, A Huckle 16-4-40-2, M Bissett 5-0-19-0, J Vowden 4-0-15-0, P Richer 1-0-5-0.

• Horsford (25) beat Bury St Edmunds (1) by 7 wickets at Manor Park.

Bury St Edmunds: T Huggins lbw Caswell 7, C Lomas lbw Caswell 4, T Adams lbw Caswell 14, S Rees b Wild 34, J Bishop b Brown 16, M Nunn b Brown 4, T Rash c Perry-Warnes b Brown 1, B Bellward run out 7, J Lofts c Perry-Warnes b Wild 11, J McKinney not out 8, T Robotham c Mickleburgh b Brown 0; extras 17. Total (55.5 overs) 123. Bowling: L Caswell 12-3-28-3, M Warnes 12-5-26-0, N Perry-Warnes 8-2-20-0, C Brown 15.5-7-16-4, J Wild 8-2-23-2.

Horsford: M Spenceley lbw Bishop 9, MR Warnes b Rash 0, J Mickleburgh not out 55, C Sabburg c Rees b Bishop 0, J Wild not out 36; extras 24. Total (3 wkts, 26.5 overs) 124. Bowling: J Bishop 8-2-14-2, T Rash 7-1-29-1, T Robotham 3.5-0-29-0, T Huggins 5-0-24-0, M Nunn 3-1-19-0.

• Saffron Walden (15) drew with Swardeston (7) at Anglo American Playing Fields.

Saffron Walden: A Laws b Thomas 23, M Stewart b Walker 35, G Batticciotto b Eccles 70, S Parmenter lbw Parlane 17, G Ecclestone b Thomas 9, A Gale not out 43, J Sneath c Thomas b Walker 2, T Price not out 26; extras 23. Total (6 wkts) 248. Bowling: M Eccles 16-2-60-1, S Dyer 8-0-26-0, G Walker 18-1-57-2, M Thomas 17-2-55-2, M Parlane 7-0-37-1.

Swardeston: M Parlane c Price b Sneath 18, C Taylor lbw Smith 7, S Gray b Smith 16, P Lambert c Gale b Batticciotto 11, J Elliott c Price b Batticciotto 16, I Tufts c Ecclestone b Smith 2, L Denmark not out 40, G Walker c Powell b Gale 15, M Thomas lbw Smith 10, M Eccles b Ecclestone 5, S Dyer not out 1; extras 24. Total (9 wkts, 60 overs) 165. Bowling: 8-1-17-1, N Batcheler 7-1-18-0, T Smith 18-9-27-4, G Batticciotto 16-3-63-2, A Laws 4-1-11-0, A Gale 4-0-11-1, G Ecclestone 3-2-5-1.

• Vauxhall Mallards (30) beat Copdock and Old Ipswichian (6) by 67 runs at Brundall.

Vauxhall Mallards: C Amos b Viljoen 100, D Turner c Cawkwell b Swallow 28, M Plater c JP East b Swallow 19, C Schoeman b Jenkin 35, A Shearer b Viljoen 2, I Kermode c Cull b Nel 1, R Goodenough lbw Nel 19, P Bradshaw b Nel 13, B Stolworthy not out 4, S Lipshaw run out 5, M Addison not out 0; extras 19. Total (9 wkts, 66 overs) 245. Bowling: C Viljoen 13-2-43-2, JP East 8-0-41-0, C Swallow 15-1-32-2, T Jenkin 18-1-64-1, A Nel 12-0-50-3.

Copdock and Old Ipswichian: A Nel lbw Bradshaw 1, A Gravell b Bradshaw 45, M Cull lbw Bradshaw 19, J Cawkwell lbw Bradshaw 0, C Viljoen c Goodenough b Lipshaw 15, E Pope c Goodenough b Schoeman 17, A Raj lbw Lipshaw 16, C Swallow c Turner b Lipshaw 41, J Kingston lbw Lipshaw 0, JP East not out 9, T Jenkin c Schoeman b Lipshaw 8; extras 7. Total (62.5 overs) 178. Bowling: P Bradshaw 12-3-35-4, M Addison 11-5-18-0, B Stolworthy 5-3-10-0, S Lipshaw 17.5-4-56-5, C Schoeman 17-4-54-1.

• Sudbury (30) beat Cambridge Granta (5) by 36 runs at Clare College.

• Clacton (25) beat Halstead (9) by 7 wickets at Star Stile.