DESPITE a good start to the season there has been a feeling that Bungay CC have been papering over a few cracks during the early matches through excellent individual performances.

DESPITE a good start to the season there has been a feeling that Bungay have been papering over a few cracks during the early matches through excellent individual performances.

These cracks were found to be wider than expected during a six-wicket defeat in Alliance Division Four to a thoroughly efficient display from visitors Great Witchingham.

Having lost the toss, Bungay were asked to bat on a pitch sporting a healthy green hue. The enthusiastic Reynolds charged in but lacked control early on and his second ball was effortlessly deposited over the boundary by the in-form Watts.

The experienced Black, opening the bowling at the pavilion end, was then punched to the boundary with similar panache. However, skipper Fuller was struggling a little with his footwork and departed to Black for one.

Watts continued to dominate Witchingham's opening attack until he mis-timed a flick off his pads and was caught for 32. A double change by the Witchies combined the wily swing and seam of medium pace pair Rogers and Roper, who took a vice-like grip on the Bungay batting.

Rogers, in particular, got the ball to steam off a good length and after several mis-timed drives, York fell for five. Cushing and Chris Fuller started very watchfully, jointly due to a lack of runs this season and the delicate position of the match. The pair took the score along to 100-3 by the 31st over before Fuller spooned an easy catch to cover off Atkinson for a well-made 35. Lewis (1) quickly followed, run out by his partner's lack of responsiveness to a call for a quick single. Cushing continued to hold the innings together, losing Davis for 12 before playing on to the returning Reynolds for 34.

This was the beginning of a masterful over by the young steamer as he ripped out Bungay's lower-middle order with three more wickets. Bungay then crawled to a final total of 145 all out, sadly below par. The score during the final 15 overs was 45-7, showing up the lack of depth in the Bungay batting line-up.

Reynolds finished his 12 overs with figures of 5-35, while Rogers bowled nine tight overs, taking 1-15.

When the Witchingham innings started Chris Fuller and Will Lewis looked fired-up, bowling with venom and finding a little sideways movement through the air.

However, the pair failed to find a consistent line and length, allowing the opening pair of Guerney and Lilwall to work the ball around. Despite playing and missing on a number of occasions, the pair took the score along to 31 before Fuller trapped Guerney in front for 10.

This brought Atkinson to the crease. Playing responsibly, but scoring off any ball that was too full, he helped to move the score to 63 before he lost Lilwall for 19.

York was the most threatening of the Bungay bowlers, swinging the ball into the right-handers and occasionally getting seam movement off the pitch.

However, the scoring moved on with few alarms until a double strike by York and Fuller removed Atkinson for 35 and Page for nine, leaving Witchingham wobbling on 90-4.

This was the last wicket that Bungay were to take as the experienced Rogers saw the visitors to their target with some sensible stroke play.

York was the pick of the home attack, taking 1-27 off his 12 overs, while Fuller returned 2-38 off eight.