TOPCROFT hosted Lowestoft on Saturday and had to settle for a losing draw from a lacklustre performance, claiming six points. Skipper Shipley won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to get the best out of what looked to be a green wicket.

TOPCROFT hosted Lowestoft on Saturday and had to settle for a losing draw from a lacklustre performance, claiming six points.

Skipper Shipley won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to get the best out of what looked to be a green wicket.

Lowestoft batsmen Sims and Mostert took the score to 27 before Mostert was caught down the leg side by Hancock off Baldwin. Garrod made 21 before being bowled by I Todd. Storey and Sims put together a partnership of 119 before Storey was run out by a great piece of fielding by Goodfellow. This left Lowestoft at 192-3 with five overs remaining.

Gunawardene and I Todd bowled tightly at the end of the innings to limit Lowestoft to 220-6 with Todd (3-47) picking up the wicket of Bishop thanks to a great catch by Goodfellow.

Topcroft knew they had to bat much better than they had performed in the field and openers Hancock and Warburton took the score to 26 before Hancock was caught off the bowling of Brice for eight.

Warburton was the next to go to the same bowler for 19. Baldwin soon followed bowled by Sims for seven and Topcroft were in trouble at 55-3.

Skipper Shipley soon followed off the bowling of Sims and Gunawardene was the next wicket to fall for 29. Goodfellow then fell to the bowling of Sims for 12 and Topcroft were in disarray at 86-6.

Batty and I Todd set about rebuilding the innings and took the score to 109 before Batty was trapped lbw by Mostert. Todd was then run out for 17 and Wright was trapped lbw to put Lowestoft on the brink of victory with Topcroft 114-9.

Marshall and D Todd set about not losing the final wicket and scoring as many runs as possible. With one over remaining the pair had taken the total to 149 and in the final over took the score past 150 to gain Topcroft valuable batting points. The innings finished on 152-9 with Marshall 14 not out and D Todd unbeaten on nine.

Topcroft will be hoping for an improved performance tomorrow when they travel to an Acle side a solitary place above them in the league standings.

Cunninghams Auto MoM: Ian Todd.