Old Buckenham 'A' v Drayton 28th April 2007

Drayton 171 (P. Wright 47, G. Smith 45, R. Davies 11.3-0-28-5) Old Buckenham 'A' 172-7 (C. Fraser 66) The first team will be disappointed not to have come away from their trip to Old Buckenham on Saturday without the victory. However, it was a curate's egg of a performance and better will be needed in the weeks ahead. Drayton batted first, with Philip Wright (47) and Gary Smith (45) adding 98 in 21 overs before Wright offered a sharp return catch to Craig Savage. Smith followed in the next over and all told Drayton lost 5 wickets for 17 runs in the space of just 7 overs. Craig Knowles (10) and Stewart Forton (25) added 38 for the 6th wicket to restore some order, but the final total of 171 was short of what was required on a good surface. Drayton got in amongst the Old Buckenham top order in good fashion - reducing their hosts to 68-5, pick of the wickets being Daz Flatt's beauty which bowled the usually obdurate John Lund. However despite Michael Mario-Ghae picking up two wickets in his second spell, the game drifted away from Drayton for whom dropped catches proved crucial. Credit in particular should go to Old Buckenham's young batsman Chris Fraser who overcame a shaky start to hit a match winning 66 full of well timed front foot shots.