Bungay A narrowly lost out to last year's Division Six champions Great Melton B, finishing just four runs short with an over left.Chasing 176 to win, openers Tim Porter and Carl Cudden continued their good form of the previous week, as they put on 77 for the opening wicket in 21 overs, with Porter reaching his second successive half-century and Cudden supporting with 26.

Bungay A narrowly lost out to last year's Division Six champions Great Melton B, finishing just four runs short with an over left.

Chasing 176 to win, openers Tim Porter and Carl Cudden continued their good form of the previous week, as they put on 77 for the opening wicket in 21 overs, with Porter reaching his second successive half-century and Cudden supporting with 26.

Porter was severe on Gristwood early on, unleashing his trademark straight and cover drives.

It was not until Andrews and ex-Lowestoft bowler Robert Sims were introduced into the attack that the run rate began to decrease. Sims forced Cudden to chip one to Bunn at point, and Pete Fuller picked out Moxon at cover shortly afterwards.

Dave MacPhillie frustrated the bowlers with his unusual style, but played over a straight one from Sims. Danny Mowday gave a sharp return catch, which Sims spilled, forcing him off the field with a nasty finger injury.

Mowday then fell to a return catch accepted by Andrews, and Flatt chipped one to Steve Phoenix at mid-wicket. Porter's good innings was ended at 57 by a good ball from Andrews to leave the visitors at 125 for six with 11 overs left.

Debutant Shoe Kapoor struck some lusty blows and with skipper Matthew Haines providing support, the target was down to 16 runs required with four overs left.

With the light fading, Kapoor was bowled by Ireland for 32, and the returning youngster Mardell then got rid of Rumball and Bedingfield in quick succession as the match swung Melton's way, with the visitors slipping to

166 for nine. Haines tried to farm the strike for the final over, but only lobbed one up to Andrews at extra cover, sealing the hosts' victory.

Earlier, Melton lost ex-Hales player Damien Loines in the first over, but shrugged that off as Clarke, with a half-century, and Dorling laid the foundations for a solid score. Mowday and Hutton bowled soundly early on, and a tight spell in the middle by skipper Haines pegged Melton back.

Dorling was run out as the batsmen took one chance too many, and Rumball kept his cool. Clarke then picked out MacPhillie at cover, and Darren Flatt got his reward for some hostile bowling by removing Bunn. Moxon and Gristwood fell to Haines and Mowday respectively, and Melton were teetering at 118 for six in the 28th over.

Intelligent running and hitting from veteran Steve Phoenix and Scott Andrews, who was dropped a number of times, saw a late charge by Great Melton, as the pair put on 52, before Andrews was bowled by Hutton, and Phoenix was left stranded by Sims. Although 175 was no more than par on a good wicket, it was just enough in the final analysis.

Bungay seek to bounce back from this defeat and avenge two narrow defeats from last season as they host Eaton next, but can take heart from the fact that they matched, and should have beaten, probably the strongest side in the division this year.