Acle 'A' v Drayton 2nd June 2007

Acle 'A' 181-7 Drayton 121 Drayton slipped to their sixth successive league defeat on Saturday in a game they had hoped to take more from at Bridewell Lane. The hosts won the toss and opted to bat, but their progress was checked by a fine opening spell from Lee Cornfield. Bowling with pace and gaining movement through the air and off the pitch he picked up 3-36 in his opening eight overs. Gary Foreman was frugal at the other end picking up 1-16 in his opening eight to leave the hosts at 51-4. However the experienced pairing of S. Mallett, aggressively, and S. Tovell, stubbornly, rebuilt the home sides innings with a partnership of 89 for the fifth wicket. Phil Soanes picked up the wicket of Mallett in his final over to a well judged catch from Paul Eggett and Cornfield returned to pick up the wickets of Tovell and Allard to finish with fine figures of 5-47. Some lusty late hitting from D. Foreman saw the hosts finish on 181.

In reply Andy Hawes looked to punish anything loose, but chased a wide one too many to leave Drayton 12-1. Philip Wright and Paul Eggett started to build but found it difficult to score against some tight bowling, particularly Michael Handley 1-12 in his opening nine overs. Eggett's hamstring forced him to retire and shortly after Wright fell for 17. Gary Smith could only lob a full toss (which he would normally have dispatched into an adjacent village) into mid wicket's hands and once again alarm bells started to sound. From then on, only James Kay with a 29, the returning Eggett with 12 and Kevin Roper with 10 made double figures, as Drayton subsided to 121 all out. For Acle, R. Siddell achieved fine figures of 5-32 with his in swing which the Drayton batsman all had problems with. As things stand, three sides will be relegated from Division One this season, which means Drayton have a rescue act to mount in their last 12 games to ensure survival.