BURY St Edmunds established their superiority over Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League newcomers Sudbury with an emphatic seven-wicket win at Friars Street on Saturday.

Sudbury, boosted by their first win at the new level a week earlier and welcoming overseas player Kandage Fernando for his first game, were confident prior to their first EAPL meeting with their near neighbours.

However, Bury took control of the match from the start. Justin Bishop won the toss, put Sudbury in and, opening the bowling for the first time since his injury problems, soon removed both openers.

Home skipper Darren Batch, moving up the order in the absence of Al Younger due to work commitments, was trapped leg before for four and Pete Siegert soon followed after unluckily playing on to his stumps via bat and foot having scored seven.

The young pair of James Poulson and Nathan Poole batted steadily to reach 43 for two when Poulson attempted to work one on the leg side and was caught off a leading edge.

Fernando made a disappointing start to his Sudbury career when he was bowled by Bishop for five and for the third time this season Poole was run out. Next delivery Mathew Wooderson was caught at mid-on and when Will Shropshire was bowled through the gate the innings was in tatters at 54 for seven.

Adam Mansfield (15) and Jonny Gallagher (20) did put up some resistance to take the final total to 116 – which had proved to be a winning total for Halstead on the same ground on the opening day of the season.

There was some hope as Fernando removed Bishop for one and Tom Huggins was run out after a mix-up. But then Simon Rees struck out to hit 12 fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 73, with Tom Rash (27) making sure of a seven-wicket win.

Clacton were two wickets away from victory away to bottom team Norwich, who were 45 runs short of the visitors’ 285 for seven at the close. Garth Davson (68) dominated at the top of the order for Clacton, then Stefanus Gericke (47 not out) and Ryan Chamberlain (44) added 91 crucial runs for the seventh wicket at the end. Gericke followed up with five for 64 as Norwich replied with 244 for eight.

Halstead folded to 72 all out (Freddie Blackwell 30) away to Cambridge Granta and lost by nine wickets in just 20 overs.

Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League

Halstead 72 (34.5 overs: F Blackwell 30, C Park 4 for 32) *Cambridge Granta 76 for 1 (D Rice 43no). Cambridge Granta (25pts) bt Halstead (0) by 9 wkts.

Swardeston 143 (44.4 overs: C Brown 4 for 19, R O’Connell 4 for 62). *Horsford 144 for 6 (41.2 overs: R O’Connell 57, M Warnes 50, G Walker 4 for 36). Horsford (25) bt Swardeston (3) by 4 wkts.

Clacton 285 for 7 (66 overs: G Davson 68, S Gericke 47no, R Chamberlain 44, G Brown 34, Ash Watson 3 for 67). *Norwich 240 for 8 (54 overs: C Borrett 63, E Laubscher 44, B Wright 42, Ash Watson 29, S Gericke 5 for 64). Norwich (10) drew with Clacton (17).

Burwell 227 (63.1 overs: K Jarvis 66, N Batchelor 4 for 46, T Smith 4 for 33). Saffron Walden 195 for 9 (56 overs: R Mordini 65, A Huckle 4 for 37). Burwell (15) drew with Saffron Walden (10).

*Sudbury 116 (55.2 overs: J Gallagher 20, J Bishop 3 for 21). Bury St Edmunds 117 for 3 (27.2 overs: S Rees 73no). Bury (25) bt Sudbury (1) by 7 wkts.

Great Witchingham 246 for 9 (66 overs: C Rogers 85, R Moores 5 for 56). *Vauxhall Mallards 176 (52 overs: R McCone 5 for 47). Great Witchingham (30) bt Vauxhall Mallards (6) by 70 runs.

* Denotes home team.