Bungay A were comfortably defeated by 66 runs by Norfolk League Division Three leaders Martham on Saturday, and face relegation rivals Cringleford Lodge in a must-win game this weekend.

Bungay can take good heart from a battling performance against the unbeaten runaway leaders, and will need this through a tricky final month of the season.

Electing to bat first, Martham were kept in check early on by opening bowlers Danny Mowday and Tim Porter, but the opening pair of Punchard and Whatmough accumulated steadily with some quick running between the wickets.

This proved the undoing of Whatmough as he took on Martyn Ramm’s arm at square leg and was short of his ground with the score on 73 after 16 overs.

Porter by now was bowling with decent rhythm, and with Jordan Barber also bowling well, the scoring began to slow.

Porter finally got his first wicket for Bungay as he accounted for Colclough, trapping him in front. Barber then deceived Punchard as he picked out Varley at mid-off.

Martham’s middle order all contributed as the score steadily moved on. Barber got Sayer caught behind for 31.

Fairbrother was bowled by the returning Mowday, and Dunn grabbed a rapid 45 before picking out Dave MacPhillie at deep cover.

Randell did exactly the same the next ball and with Spelman finding Ferguson at point, Mowday ended up with four for 61 off his overs, and Martham ended up with an imposing 226 for eight off their 45 overs.

In reply, Bungay started badly as Porter misjudged a full toss from Randell, and Chang and MacPhillie also went early to leave the hosts 15 for three.

Ramm and Peter Varley dug in, but the rate was climbing. Varley played on from Sayer, and Codd also departed early. Barber was bowled by Whatmough and when Ramm’s resistance was ended by Randell for 31, Bungay were teetering on 75 for seven.

Danny Mowday andWill Hunt played some good shots, but Hunt was run out after a poor call from Mowday, and Ferguson joined Mowday. With fields of seven slips, Martham attacked for the last two wickets, but the ninth wicket pair provided solid resistance.

Mowday went for 26, but Ferguson and last man Alfie Wright somehow managed to bat out the overs and grab a final precious batting point as Bungay totalled a distant 160 for nine.

Martham: P Punchard c Varley b Barber 25, J Whatmough run out (Ramm) 34, B Colclough lbw Porter 6, A Sayer c Hunt b Barber 31, I Fairbrother b Mowday 31, L Dunn c MacPhillie b Mowday 45, A Spelman c Ferguson b Mowday 4, S Randell c MacPhillie b Mowday 13, M Beckett not out 1, extras 35. Total (8 wkts) 226. Bowling: D Mowday 12-2-61-4, T Porter 12-3-42-1, J Barber 11-1-54-2, A Wright 5-0-28-0, P Varley 5-0-33-0.

Bungay A: T Porter b Randell 3, M Ramm b Randell 31, T Chang c Beckett b Kemp 1, D MacPhillie b Kemp 6, P Varley b Sayer 14, A Codd b Sayer 0, J Barber b Whatmough 4, D Mowday b Sayer 26, W Hunt run out (Colclough) 6, R Ferguson not out 28, A Wright not out 7, extras 31. Total (9 wkts) 160. Bowling: S Randell 12-1-32-2, A Kemp 9-2-26-2, A Sayer 10-0-33-3, A Spelman 4-0-9-0, J Whatmough 7-2-27-1, B Colclough 2-0-13-1, J Balls 1-0-11-0.