CLACTON still have a fight on their hands to secure their place in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League.

On Saturday they lost by 96 runs away to Cambridge Granta, and they now hold just a 23-point advantage over bottom team Norwich, with one relegation place to be avoided.

The home team rattled up 277 for four before declaring two overs short of their full allocation, and Clacton were bowled out in 47.4 overs for 181 in reply.

Ben France claimed one for 44 in 14 overs, and Ryan Chamberlain’s six overs only went for 14, but the other Clacton bowlers proved to be quite expensive as the top five Granta batsman made good contributions.

Garth Davson (30), Stefanus Gericke (36) and Connor Finney (45) were the only Clacton batsmen to stick around for long as they slipped to 116 for seven before Finney took them to respectability with an innings containing six fours.

Essex rivals Halstead also lost, by 155 runs away to title-chasing Vauxhall Mallards. Carl Amos carried his bat for 132 not out, and Peter Free hit 70 from 77 balls as Mallards posted 316 for five before declaring after 62 overs.

Halstead were 113 for six in reply, with Amit Gupta hitting 11 fours and three sixes in an innings of 74 to lift the final total to 151.

Bury St Edmunds scored 247 for nine against Norwich (Scott Harvey 75, Justin Bishop 45, Chris Wright 54). They then restricted Norwich to 17 runs from the first 10 overs, and when Bishop claimed two wickets in his first two overs they were 100 for five.

Chris Sutton (47) and Harry Bush (80) then added 78 but with Chris Wright taking three for 58 the innings closed on 227 for eight.

Paul Summerskill’s unbeaten century carried Burwell to 317 for eight, and Sudbury earned a draw by reaching 231 for seven in reply.

Skipper Darren Batch took three wickets and top-scored with 72, while Jay Phillips (35), Wimanga Perera (34) and Adam Mansfield (28) also made useful contributions.

Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League

*Cambridge Granta 277 for 4 (64 overs: J Coleman 79, A Fullarton 67, D Rice 52no, J Atkinson 25). Clacton 181 (47.4 overs: C Finney 45, S Gericke 36, G Davson 30, I Shah 5 for 49). Cambridg Granta (30pts) bt Clacton (4) by 96 runs.

Great Witchingham 265 for 5 (66 overs: J Spelman 110, S Arthurton jnr 59). *Horsford 259 for 5 (54 overs: R O’Connell 105, M Warnes 96). Horsford (10) drew with Great Witchingham (15).

Bury St Edmunds 247 for 9 (66 overs: S Harvey 75, C Wright 54, J Bishop 45, M Nunn 22, A Watson 5 for 43). *Norwich 227 for 8 (54 overs: H Bush 80, C Sutton 47, C Wright 3 for 58). Norwich (11) drew with Bury (15).

*Saffron Walden 186 (60.1 overs: M Pettini 111). Swardeston 187 for 7 (40.1 overs: R Sims 80, J Hatwell 68). Swardeston (25) bt Saffron Walden (7) by 3 wkts.

Burwell 317 for 8 (66 overs: P Summerskill 101no, P Richer 56, G Goosen 48, T Afzal 28, W Perera 3 for 52, D Batch 3 for 59). *Sudbury 231 for 7 (56 overs: D Batch 72, J Phillips 35, W Perera 34, A Mansfield 28, A Huckle 4 for 54, T Afzal 3 for 40). Sudbury (11) drew with Burwell (16).

*Vauxhall Mallards 316 for 5 (62 overs: C Amos 132no, P Free 70, G Snyman 47). Halstead 151 (31.3 overs: A Gupta 74, J Wells 22, A Todd 4 for 39, M Addison 3 for 35). Vauxhall Mallards (30) bt Halstead (3) by 165 runs.

* denotes home team