GIBBS DENLEY EAPL: Horsford fell just seven runs short of maintaining their perfect winning record at home as Great Witchingham maintained an interest in the title chase with a draw at Manor Park.

Witches skipper James Spelman chose to bat first and shrugged off his recent patchy league form to put on 112 for the first wicket with Carl Rogers. After Rogers departed for 53, Sam Arthurton joined his captain at the crease and they continued to prosper, adding 106.

Spelman reached his first league century of the summer and went on to make 110 from 188 balls, including 14 fours, before he was bowled by Matthew Wilkinson. Arthurton hit 59 before he became another of Wilkinson's three victims as the visitors closed on 265 for five.

Horsford also put on a century opening stand, courtesy of Nathan Perry Warnes (35) and Matthew Warnes. With the score on 100, Warnes was joined by Australian Reece O'Connell and they cruised the score along to 240. But with 26 needed for victory and time at a premium, Arthurton's sharp fielding instincts accounted for Warnes as he was run out four short of his century.

Rogers applied the brakes with three quick wickets, including O'Connell, who registered his first EAPL century, hitting 105 from 83 balls, with 10 fours and a six. Horsford were unable to reach their target and closed on 259 for five, ending their run of six successive league wins in completed games at Manor Park.

Richard Sims continued his excellent form as leaders Swardeston won by three wickets at Saffron Walden.

The hosts were put into bat and lost ex-Test player Jason Gallian to the first ball of the day, bowled by Michael Eccles, who was playing despite a finger injury sustained the previous weekend.

Essex batsman Mark Pettini held the innings together with a century, adding 81 for the sixth wicket with Joe Barrs (18). Pettini was the last man out, handing Eccles his third wicket, while there were also a trio of victims for Jaden Hatwell as Walden were all out for 186 in the 61st over.

Swardeston lost openers Joel Abraham and Daniel Martin to consecutive deliveries, but Sims (80) and Hatwell (68) added 151 for the third wicket to take the visitors to the brink of victory. Sims' dismissal prompted a wobble as Swardeston lost four more wickets, including Hatwell, before they safely completed victory in the 41st over.

Vauxhall Mallards' maximum points win at home to Halstead saw them close the gap on Swardeston to 28 points.

Mallards were put into bat and their innings was built around a first league century of the summer for Carl Amos.

The former Norfolk opener fired 132no from 184 balls, with 23 fours. He featured in a third wicket stand of 59 with Gerrie Snyman – who made a brisk 47 – and a fourth wicket partnership of 145 with Peter Free (70) as Mallards declared on 316 for five from 62 overs.

Halstead never looked likely to challenge that target after Martin Addison (three for 35) had reduced them to 47 for four. Amit Gupta provided a spirited 74 from 48 balls, but after he was dismissed by Snyman, Adam Todd (four for 39) wrapped up the tail to seal a 165-run win.

Honours were even at Ingham as Norwich and Bury St Edmunds slugged out a closely contested draw.

Bury opted to bat first and after an early success for Aaron Watson, they settled into building a healthy total.

Half-centuries for Scott Harvey (75) and Christopher Wright (54) enabled them to reach 247 for nine, with Ashley Watson taking five for 43.

Harry Bush hit 80 in the Norwich reply but received little support until he was joined in a sixth wicket stand of 78 by Chris Sutton (47).

At 192 for eight, Norwich were in danger of suffering another defeat, but Aaron Watson and Jason Blake (both 15no) guided them to within 20 of their target without further loss at the close.

Cambridge Granta continued their surge up the table with a 96-run win against Clacton, while Burwell pulled further clear of Norwich at the bottom by dominating their draw at Sudbury.

• EAPL SCOREBOARD

• Horsford (10pts) drew with Great Witchingham (15) at Manor Park Great Witchingham: JM Spelman b Wilkinson 110, C Rogers c Smith b Perry Warnes 53, S Arthurton jnr c Perry Warnes b Wilkinson 59, T Collishaw c Findlay b Brown 11, R McCone c Clark b Wilkinson 20, S Arthurton snr not out 3, JO Spelman not out 0; extras 9. Total (5 wkts, 66 overs) 265. Bowling: MW Warnes 8-3-23-0, L Caswell 9-2-18-0, C Brown 18-5-56-1, R Findlay 5-0-36-0, R O'Connell 11-0-46-0, N Perry Warnes 8-1-39-1, M Wilkinson 7-0-41-3. Horsford: N Perry Warnes c JO Spelman b S Arthurton jnr 35, MR Warnes run out (S Arthurton jnr) 96, R O'Connell c&b Rogers 105, D Clark c McCone b Rogers 3, M Wilkinson c Dyer b Rogers 0, R Findlay not out 2, MW Warnes not out 4; extras 14. Total (5 wkts, 54 overs) 259. Bowling: R McCone 12-2-62-0, A Dyer 4-1-16-0, J Hale 9-0-24-0, T Collishaw 6-1-14-0, S Arthurton jnr 4-0-19-1, J Thompson 6-0-34-0, C Rogers 10-0-58-3, JM Spelman 3-0-25-0.

• Norwich (11) drew with Bury St Edmunds (15) at Ingham Bury St Edmunds: T Huggins b AA Watson 2, J Bishop lbw AM Watson 45, Scott Harvey b AM Watson 75, C Wright lbw Wiseman 54, T Adams lbw AM Watson 9, T Rash b Wiseman 13, M J Nunn b AM Watson 22, P Edwards c Borrett b AM Watson 17, J McKinney run out (C Borrett) 3, E Wright not out 2; extras 5, Total (9 wkts, 66 overs) 247. Bowling: AA Watson 16-1-49-1, P Wiseman 17-3-70-2, C Borrett 4-1-20-0, AM Watson 18-4-43-5, H Bush 9-1-46-0, E Laubscher 2-0-17-0.

Norwich: E Laubscher c Sturgeon b Wright 1, F Sutton c Wright b Rash 14, H Bush lbw Edwards 80, C Borrett lbw Nunn 5, AM Watson lbw Bishop 16, B Wright c Sturgeon b Bishop 0, C Sutton b Wright 47, T Goodley b Wright 9, AA Watson not out 15, J Blake not out 15; extras 25. Total (8 wkts, 54 overs) 227. Bowling: P Edwards 16-4-43-1, C Wright 16-3-58-3, M J Nunn 6-0-31-1, T Rash 6-0-24-1, T Huggins 5-0-23-0, J Bishop 5-0-31-2

• Swardeston (25) beat Saffron Walden (7) by 3 wickets at Saffron Walden

Saffron Walden: J Gallian b Eccles 0, E Wilson b Thomas 28, C Knightley lbw Eccles 0, M Pettini c Abraham b Eccles 111, S Parmenter c Tufts b Walker 13, G Gillard lbw Thelwell 0, J Barrs c Hatwell b Walker 18, N Gladwin c Sims b Hatwell 0, R Done c Lambert b Hatwell 0, T Smith c Hopkins b Hatwell 7, D Cousins not out 0; extras 9. Total (60.1 overs) 186. Bowling: M Eccles 12.1-2-60-3, M Thomas 9-0-19-1, G Walker 18-5-27-2, S Thelwell 6-0-23-1, J Hatwell 15-3-50-3.

Swardeston: J Abraham c Gladwin b Barrs 11, D Martin lbw Cousins 4, R Sims lbw Barrs 80, J Hatwell c Wilson b Smith 68, P Lambert lbw Smith 1, I Tufts run out (Parmenter) 2, G Walker c Gladwin b Barrs 0, E Hopkins not out 9, M Thomas not out 1; extras 11. Total (7 wkts, 40.1 overs) 187. Bowling: D Cousins 9-1-41-1, J Barrs 12-2-48-3, T Smith 11.1-1-44-2, R Done 6-0-35-0, S Parmenter 1-0-4-0, C Knightley 1-0-6-0.

• Vauxhall Mallards (30) beat Halstead (3) by 165 runs at Brundall

Vauxhall Mallards: C Amos not out 132, D Turner b Philp 12, R Goodenough c Spatcher b Gupta 12, G Snyman b Spatcher 47, P Free run out (Spatcher) 70, A Shearer b Ekers 17, S Potger not out 10; extras 16. Total (5 wkts dec, 62 overs) 316. Bowling: T Philp 9-2-50-1, A Gupta 11-1-56-1, M Spatcher 18-5-61-1, B Blackwell 9-1-50-0, J Foley 8-0-35-0, J Wells 3-0-28-0, O Ekers 4-0-24-1.

Halstead: F Blackwell c Potger b Addison 2, M Spatcher b Bradshaw 1, J Wells lbw b Addison 22, M Surry c Goodenough b Addison 17, A Gupta c Shearer b Snyman 74, O Ekers b Snyman 8, B Blackwell c Bradshaw b Todd 5, M Johnson c Shearer b Todd 6, T Philp b Todd 11, A Pyman c Goodenough b Todd 2, J Foley not out 1; extras 2. Total (31.3 overs) 151. Bowling: P Bradshaw 4-0-20-1, M Addison 8-2-35-3, G Snyman 12-2-56-2, A Todd 7.3-1-39-4.

• Cambridge Granta (277-4, 64 ovs, J Coleman 79, A Fullarton 67, D Rice 52no) beat Clacton (181, 47.4ovs, I Shah 5-49) (4) by 96 runs at Clare College. Cambridge Granta 30pts, Clacton 4pts.

• Sudbury (231-7, 56ovs, D Batch 72, A Huckle 4-54) drew with Burwell (317-8, 66 ovs, P Richer 56, P Summerskill 101no). Match drawn – Burwell 16 pts, Sudbury 11pts.

• Vauxhall Mallards will play Horsford in the Carter Cup final on Sunday, August 14. Mallards beat Swardeston by 129 runs in yesterday's semi-finals, while Horsford beat Great Witchingham by five wickets.