Topcroft (24pts) beat Bradfield (6) by six wickets in the Frankly Digital Norfolk Alliance Division One

THERE was a third versus fourth clash at Bradfield.

The hosts elected to make first use of an excellent batting track and in blustery conditions that threatened to make life difficult for the fielding sides.

The new- ball pair of Ian Todd and Greg Rostron bowled good lines to put early pressure on Bradfield’s opening pair and it was Todd who made the breakthrough with a delivery that took the edge of Wiseman’s bat and was well taken by Hancock behind the stumps.

The Bradfield skipper, Botwright, had a large slice of luck when Davey was unable to take a difficult catch at third man off Baldwin when he had made just one. Botwright made good use of this luck to make 54.

Topcroft had Bradfield on 84 for four, then 99 for five before Bidewell and Yarham put on 58 for the sixth wicket. Yarham, running out of partners, had the lion’s share of a valuable partnership of 41 with Abbs for the eighth wicket which fell on 201.

The innings closed on 216 (T Todd 2-46, G Rostron 2-38, B Baldwin 3-40, R Marshall 2-47).

Topcroft’s opening pair of Hancock and M Goodfellow looked solid until Goodfellow was adjudged run out from a direct hit with the score on 22.

Baldwin and his skipper found runs hard to come by and the score was 77 for one at the drinks break.

Topcroft required 140 off the remaining 26 overs and more decisive running and much-needed boundaries started to turn the tide.

Baldwin’s confidence visibly grew as he started to find the boundary rope with regularity.

Hancock looked set to score another half-century when he deflected the ball off his thigh-pad onto his stumps for a well-made 48, with the score on 127.

Needing 80 runs off 16 overs Topcroft re-jigged their batting line-up and sent in Rostron at No 4, who made a quickfire 14.

Davey soon departed, then J Goodfellow joined Baldwin and excellent running and strokeplay put the hosts onto the back foot.

Baldwin (81no) brought up his 50 and was batting freely. Goodfellow hit the winning boundary in the 48th over.

An excellent win saw Topcroft leapfrog Bradfield to move into third place. The Trevor Potter man-of-the match was Ben Baldwin for his excellent three for 40 and 81 not out.

Bradfield: D Register b Marshall 10, C Wiseman c Hancock b Todd 14, E Botwright lbw Baldwin 45, J Wright c Hancock b Marshall 1, A Kimber c-b Baldwin 8, D Yarham run out 63, S Bidewell b Rostron 28, C Harkness c Goodfellow b Rostron 4, P Abbs b Baldwin 6, J Gray not out 10, T J Wiseman c Hancock b Todd 1; extras 26. Total 216. Bowling: I Todd 10.2-2-46-2, G Rostron 8-1-38-2, B Baldwin 13-3-40-3, R Marshall 10-0-47-2, D Todd 4-0-22-0, J Goodfellow 3-0-21-0.

Topcroft: C Hancock b Wright 48, M Goodfellow run out 4, B Baldwin not out 81, G Rostron lbw Yarham 14, B Davey c Botwright b Harkness 3, J Goodfellow not out 33; extras 34. Total (4 wkts) 217. Bowling: T J Wiseman 10-1-41-0, A Kimber 8-3-18-0, C Harkness 8-0-48-1, D Yarham 13-2-43-1, J Wright 6-0-36-1, P Abbs 1-0-14-0, C Wiseman 1.1-0-10-0.