Norfolk all-rounder Ben France helped put an end to Swardeston's six-game winning streak with a five-wicket haul for Clacton.

The Essex team's six-wickets win enabled Cambridge Granta to cut the gap at the top of the table to 22 points – although their win over bottom club Sudbury could not have been closer.

Chasing Sudbury's all out total of 235 they edged over the line with just one wicket to spare, despite a century from Max Holden.

As a result they more than halved Swardeston's advantage with five games to play. Swardeston have two at home (Saffron Walden and Woolpit) and three away (Great Witchingham, Burwell and Vauxhall Mallards).

Granta have three at home (Copdock, Horsford and Great Witchingham) and two away (Clacton and Saffron Walden).

For once Swardeston's stellar batting line-up let them down as they were all out for 123 in 33.4 overs.

Richard Sims made 38 from 43 balls and Jordan Taylor (18) shared in the only two partnerships which got off the ground – 32 with Peter Lambert (22 off 26 balls) for the first wicket and 33 with Sims for the third. Jonathan Sole, with 25 off 24 balls, was the only other home batsman to make double figures as France (5-37) justified his decision to bowl first, with the help of 4-50 from Michael Comber.

In reply, George Brown (38) top-scored as Clacton reached their target in 24.2 overs to lift themselves up to third in the table, Michael Comber (36no) and Timothy Alexander (23no) seeing them comfortably over the line.

The 'dress rehearsal' for yesterday's Carter Cup final went the way of Great Witchingham as they won by 27 runs at Vauxhall Mallards.

Veteran Carl Rogers (47) provided the mainstay of the Witches' 161 all out after they had been asked to bat by home skipper Paul Bradshaw.

James Spelman (24) and James Hale (20) had started well at the top of the innings while Shaun Arthurton (21) shared an eighth-wicket stand of 33 with Rogers.

Brett Stolworthy (4-25) was the most successful Ducks bowler while Robbie Bridgestock took three catches in his first stint behind the wickets.

With a potential 62 overs in which to reach their target Mallards lost both openers cheaply and were 94-6 at tea. South African spinner Stephan Joubert (5-36) completed the mopping up of the tail to leave Mallards all out for 134 off 44.3 overs, but equally important were the top order dismissals of Steve Goldsmith, Sam Plater and Rahul Dewan by Will Dunger.

Matt Plater's 43, including three sixes, constituted the main Mallards resistance as the Witches cemented themselves in the right half of the table and left the Ducks in the wrong half.

Horsford slipped into the bottom three after having to settle for a draw at second-bottom Bury – Woolpit overtaking them by virtue of beating Saffron Walden by 93 runs.

Tom Huggins and Justin Bishop, who had an opening stand of 182 for Suffolk last week, did even better for their club side, skipper Huggins making an unbeaten 141 and Bishop 113 in a stand of 254 out of a 66 overs total of 261-1.

In response Nathan Perry Warnes (41) and Matthew Love (50) put on 94 for the second wicket but, despite 42 off 49 balls from skipper Chris Brown, Horsford finished well short on 203 from eight overs fewer.