Bungay’s A team travelled to Winterton A knowing that a win would almost certainly guarantee them promotion.

However, things did not go to plan as they fell to a three-wicket defeat in a tightly-fought contest.

Asked to bat first on what turned out to be a bowler friendly surface, Bungay’s top order came up against probably the best spell of new ball bowling they had faced all season as Winterton’s Emmett Young, apparently back for his first game of the season after an injury lay-off, used pace and some inconsistent bounce to rip in to the batting.

The top five all departed without getting into double figures as they struggled to reach 53-7 after 20 overs. Young finished his spell of 10 overs with 5-18.

Ray Joselyn hit a couple of fine blows as he reached double figures but it was again left to Ted Bedingfield to try and marshall the tail. A combination of some careful defence and strong hitting of the few loose balls he did receive, including a magnificent six, helped the total reach 118 when he was the last man out for a valuable 37.

After tea, Bungay’s bowlers started work against an experienced Winterton batting line-up. The openers put together a steady stand of 28 before Luke Pawsey broke through removing both batters in quick succession and aided by a run out and an equally accurate spell from Jak Clark, Winterton slipped to 45-4.

At this stage it looked like Bungay were back in the game however a rather unorthodox innings from Winterton’s Gislam aided by partners Culley and Drake saw the score creep upwards as Winterton kept the board moving with singles. A couple of dropped catches did not help the cause and Pawsey brought himself and Clark back to try to find a wicket but this was stubbornly resisted.

A brief glimmer of hope arrived as three quick wickets did fall to leave Winterton at 112-7 but they had plenty of overs in hand and finally won the game with a six off the final ball of the 39th over.

Pawsey and Clark finished with each only conceding 19 runs from their 10 overs.

Plans are apparently being made by the Norfolk League to allow three sides to be promoted, but with other results going against them, it now probably requires a win from the last game of the season against Great Melton in two weeks’ time to ensure a top two place.