GIBBS DENLEY EAPL REVIEW: Another outstanding all-round display from Jaden Hatwell helped Swardeston maintain their strong start to the season as they thrashed last year's runners-up Saffron Walden by 196 runs.

Hatwell scored a century and then claimed four wickets as Swardeston kept pace at the top with Vauxhall Mallards, who also won on Saturday.

Swardeston opted to bat first and their big total centred around a third wicket stand of 221 between Hatwell and Peter Lambert. Having missed his maiden EAPL century by five runs two weeks ago, Lambert got even closer this time, hitting 99 from 126 balls before he was dismissed just shy of the milestone. Hatwell followed almost immediately, for 118 from 129 balls, including nine fours and three sixes, but the duo's efforts allowed the hosts to declare on 311 for seven after 58 overs.

Saffron Walden reached 87 for one in reply, before Swardeston's spin attack took control. Hatwell made the breakthrough and two more wickets fell without further addition, with George Walker claiming the key scalp of Giles Ecclestone (45).

From there it was a procession as Walker and Hatwell claimed four wickets each to bowl the visitors out for 115 in the 41st over.

Carl Amos fired a second successive league half-century to lead Mallards to a comfortable eight-wicket win at Halstead.

Opener Amos finished unbeaten on 87 as Mallards chased down their victory target of 172 in the 46th over.

The former Norfolk batsman's innings spanned 150 balls and included 11 fours. He was helped on the way by Namibian international Gerrie Snyman, who again showed his big-hitting capabilities with a quickfire 41no from 29 balls.

Earlier, Mallards skipper Paul Bradshaw had taken four for 39, with Snyman (two for 43) also collecting his first EAPL wickets to dismiss Halstead for 171 in the 59th over.

Norwich stopped the rot of defeats and almost pulled off a dramatic victory at Bury St Edmunds.

The hosts posted 244 for eight, Tom Huggins top scoring with 75 and Ben Flanagan taking four for 60.

Norwich initially stumbled in reply, reaching 49 for three before their hopes were lifted by a stand of 117 between Chris Borrett (74) and Ben Wright (61). They were still in contention at 225 for six, but the loss of Jason Blake and Chris Sutton in quick succession left them content to settle for a draw as they finished on 233 for nine, with Flanagan dismissed by the last ball of the match.

Rain interrupted proceedings at Great Witchingham, as the hosts drew with Horsford.

Opener Matthew Warnes hit 103 from 179 balls for Horsford, with 11 fours and a six, while Chris Spenceley made 51 in their total of 246 for seven. Ryan McCone was again Witchingham's leading bowler with three for 71.

Witchingham skipper James Spelman replied with 71, but his side were left with only 43 overs and they closed on 156 for four.

Elsewhere, newcomers Sudbury picked up their first win of the season, beating Burwell by 27 runs, despite a century from Glenn Goosen (103).

Cambridge Granta continued their revival with a 90-run victory at Clacton, Sean Park hitting 77 for the reigning champions.

• EAPL SCORECARDS

• Bury St Edmunds (14pts) drew with Norwich (11) at Bury St Edmunds.

Bury St Edmunds: T Huggins c Laubscher b Flanagan 75, J Bishop c Wiseman b Borrett 36, T Adams run out 40, S Rees c Flanagan b AM Watson 33, T Rash c AM Watson b Flanagan 8, M Nunn run out 4, C Wright st Black b Flanagan 19, P Edwards c Laubscher b Flanagan 8, J McKinney not out 5, J Sturgeon not out 0; extras 16. Total (8 wkts, 65 overs) 244. Bowling: P Wiseman 12-1-43-0, AA Watson 13-2-42-0, AM Watson 18-0-65-1, B Flanagan 17-2-60-4.

Norwich: E Laubscher c Sturgeon b Nunn 19, O Higenbottam c Sturgeon b Nunn 4, F Sutton c Wright b McKinney 15, C Borrett c Bishop b Nunn 74, B Wright c Bishop b Wright 61, AM Watson run out 1, C Sutton b Wright 21, J Blake c McKinney b Huggins 14, AA Watson not out 3, B Flanagan lbw Wright 1; extras 20. Total (9 wkts, 53 overs) 233. Bowling: C Wright 18-5-48-3, M Nunn 8-0-40-3, J McKinney 5-1-21-1, T Rash 3-1-14-0, T Huggins 15-2-60-1, J Bishop 4-0-35-0.

• Great Witchingham (7) drew with Horsford (13) at Great Witchingham.

Horsford: N Perry-Warnes c Groves by McCone 17, M Warnes st Groves b Hale 103, R O'Connell lbw McCone 0, D Clark lbw J M Spelman 1, L Caswell c Groves b Dyer 6, C Spenceley lbw Rogers 51, M Wilkinson b McCone 30, R Findlay not out 10; extras 28. Total (7 wkts, 60 overs) 246. Bowling: R McCone 18-2-71-3, JM Spelman 13-0-40-1, A Dyer 6-0-32-1, JO Spelman 6-0-30-0, C Rogers 6-0-27-1, J Hale 11-1-38-1.

Great Witchingham: JM Spelman c-b Warnes 71, C Rogers b O'Connell 33, R McCone b Brown 9, S Arthurton Jnr not out 15, S Arthurton Snr c Wilkinson b Warnes 4, T Collishaw not out 9; extras 15. Total (4 wkts, 43 overs) 156. Bowling: L Caswell 4-0-20-0, M Warnes 8-1-37-2, R O'Connell 13-2-29-1, C Brown 11-1-46-1, R Findlay 7-1-11-0.

• Vauxhall Mallards (25) beat Halstead (3) by eight wickets at Halstead.

Halstead: F Blackwell c Goodenough b Moores 20, G Raviendron c Goodenough b Addison 9, M Spatcher c Goodenough b Snyman 32, O Ekers run out 0, A Gupta b Bradshaw 50, H Miam c Goodenough b Snyman 1, T Philp c Moores b Bradshaw 5, C Douglas-Hughes c Moores b Potger 30, C Rayner c Goodenough b Bradshaw 5, E Clark lbw Bradshaw 0, D Elsbury not out 3; extras 16. Total (58.4 overs) 171. Bowling: P Bradshaw 15.4-2-39-4, M Addison 11-3-23-1, R Moores 10-1-36-1, G Snyman 15-5-43-2, S Potger 7-1-20-1.

Vauxhall Mallards: C Amos not out 87, D Turner run out 26, R Moores c Rayner b Spatcher 16, G Snyman not out 41; extras 5. Total (2 wkts, 45.1 overs) 175. Bowling: T Philp 12-4-36-0, A Gupta 6-0-20-0, M Spatcher 13-2-46-1, E Clark 2-0-18-0, D Elsbury 9-2-25-0, H Miam 3.1-0-26-0.

• Swardeston (30) beat Saffron Walden (3) by 126 runs at Swardeston.

Swardeston: J Abraham b Laws 23, D Martin lbw Laws 25, P Lambert c Rodgers b Laws 99, J Hatwell c Parmenter b Marsh 118, I Tufts lbw Marsh 0, G Walker b Laws 3, M Thomas not out 22, Will Rist lbw Laws 0, J Nicholls not out 10; extras 11. Total (7 wkts dec, 58 overs) 311. Bowling: D Cousins 5-0-24-0, J Rodgers 13-0-78-0, A Laws 13-1-68-5, T Smith 14-0-63-0, S Larsen 6-0-30-0, S Marsh 7-0-37-2.

Saffron Walden: S Larsen c Tufts b Eccles 10, G Gillard lbw Hatwell 28, G Ecclestone c Thomas b Walker 45, A Laws c-b Hatwell 0, S Parmenter lbw Hatwell 8, N Gladwin c Abraham b Walker 6, R Smith lbw Walker 0, J Rodgers st Rist b Walker 2, T Smith lbw Hatwell 2, S Marsh not out 0, D Cousins run out 8; extras 6. Total (40.5 overs) 115. Bowling: M Eccles 8-1-25-1, S Thelwell 7-3-10-0, J Hatwell 13-3-47-4, G Walker 12.5-4-28-4.

• Cambridge Granta (253-9, 30pts) beat Clacton (163, 5pts) by 90 runs at Clacton.

• Sudbury (239, 30pts) beat Burwell (212, 8pts) by 27 runs at Burwell.