Glory hunters given warning

KEITH PEEL Teams from Norfolk must strengthen their ranks if they are to prevent Bury St Edmunds completing a cricket championship hat-trick. Barely had the Suffolk side sealed another Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League triumph than skipper Kevin Brooks cautioned challengers: “It certainly would be very satisfying if we could win it for a third time.

KEITH PEEL

Teams from Norfolk must strengthen their ranks if they are to prevent Bury St Edmunds completing a cricket championship hat-trick. Barely had the Suffolk side sealed another Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League triumph than skipper Kevin Brooks cautioned challengers: “It certainly would be very satisfying if we could win it for a third time.” He added: “The continuity we kept from last season has helped the cause no end. Everybody at some stage has made a very good contribution and it is widely recognised that we have the best bowling attack in the league.

“Having Tony Palladino back has been the icing on the cake, while Tom Huggins has generally had a good season too.

“In some ways it is harder to retain a title, but it has helped that the teams around us have picked up points off each other.

“We'll be looking to keep a similar make-up once again for next season, while two or three younger players who got a little bit of exposure this season will feature more.”

Bury completed their programme on Saturday with a 53-run defeat of bottom team Mildenhall, while runners-up Swardeston drew with Fakenham.

Horsford drew with Vauxhall Mallards and finish fifth, just ahead of Norwich, who lost to Clacton by 113 runs.

Mallards came seventh, one place above Fakenham.

Mark Geeves made 46 not out as Bury posted 138 for eight before bowling out Mildenhall for 85 in a match reduced to 40 overs a side.

Paul Dunger hit 71 as Fakenham mustered 159 for eight in reply to Swardeston's 339 for two spree.

Richard Sims (121 not) put on 88 with Sapumal Herathge (78) for the second wicket, and then shared in an unbroken 192-run stand with Jaden Hatwell, who hit 104 not out.

Grant Flower and Chris Brown emphasised their contribution to Horsford's campaign at Manor Park.

Former Zimbabwe international Flower, who has played when not required by Essex, has featured in four of Horsford's five wins and all five of their draws.

Against Mallards, he took his nine-innings EAPL tally to 761, at an average of 152, when he contributed 69 to a 231 for five total.

Flower put on 60 for the second wicket with 16-year-old Essex Academy player Jaik Mickleburgh, who top scored with 80 not out.

Mallards mustered 145 for five in reply, with spinner Brown, the league's leading wicket-taker, advancing his total to 52 with a three for 31 stint.

Joe Brennan (29) and Gordon Kerr (20) produced the only prolonged resistance as Norwich were bowled out for 111 at Postwick after third-placed Clacton had posted 214.

Chris Swallow scored 74 and Trevor Moulton 57, while Kerr took four for 50.