HALES went clear at the top of Norfolk Alliance Division Three for the first time this season after a hard-earned revenge victory by 60 runs against Fakenham A.

HALES went clear at the top of Norfolk Alliance Division Three for the first time this season after a hard-earned revenge victory by 60 runs against Fakenham A.

Hales won the toss and elected to bat, but with Harmer suffering a mystery illness and Chris Andersen unavailable, Milton Lindsay and Gary Summons opened the proceedings.

Both found the going tough and Summons departed in the 10th over, followed by Lindsay and Joe Kaye in the 11th over.

With Hales struggling on 21-3 Harmer made his way to the crease to try and stabilise the innings with Ramsdale.

Harmer got off to a flyer as he quickly stamped his authority on the innings as he drove effortlessly down the ground.

Ramsdale soon began to find his feet as well but was unlucky to be dismissed for 21 after a delivery kept low.

Two more wickets fell in quick succession to leave Hales in deep trouble at 72-5 which bought Cornish to the crease.

Harmer remained unfazed by the situation and continued to remain solid in defence as he shouldered the Hales innings.

Cornish looked in fine touch in a quickfire 22 in a 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket as he and Harmer stepped on the gas.

Eventually Harmer's defiant innings ended as he was the last wicket to fall for an excellent innings of 76 and Hales were bowled out for 172 in the 42nd over.

In reply, Fakenham A got off to a slow start against the opening attack of Robin Andersen and Graham Squire.

Andersen was simply too good to find the edge and beat the bat continuously on his way to conceding just eight runs from seven overs.

Squire was finding form again as he bowled with good rhythm but Fakenham's Sri Lankan overseas star Sammy De Silva was starting to show his aggressive intent.

However, some wonderful bowling from the first change attack of Steve Rowe and Matt Lovick demolished nearly the entire Fakenham team.

Rowe was cunning and thoughtful in his spell of 3-25 and Lovick was bowling with complete control as he reeled off 13 overs on the bounce in his excellent spell of 4-37.

Squire picked up the wicket of dangerman De Silva for 32 as he was well caught behind by Ramsdale to practically seal the game for Hales.

Fakenham were bowled out for 112 as Hales romped home in the field.

Some outstanding bowling, backed up by tidy fielding as Harmer, Ramsdale, Lovick and Cornish all held on to vital catches was the key as Hales defended a very poor batting performance.

R Chubbock Fruit and Veg man of the match goes to Harmer for battling through his illness in his vital innings of 76.