CLACTON are still not safe from the threat of relegation from the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League following a nine-wicket defeat to Great Witchingham.

CLACTON are still not safe from the threat of relegation from the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League following a nine-wicket defeat to Great Witchingham.

Bottom side Fakenham escaped with a draw at home to eighth-placed Horsford, meaning 22 points now separate Clacton from the drop zone.

Clacton host Fakenham in the final game of the season this Saturday, knowing that only a comprehensive defeat will see them go into a relegation/promotion play-off.

At Great Witchingham, the Essex side were bowled out for 151, Indika De Saram (78) and Imran Sheikh (23) top-scoring as no other batsmen made double figures.

Openers Carl Rogers (68 not out) and James Spelman (47) put Witchingham on course, before Simon Chipperfield (21 not out) helped Rogers finish the job in the 47th over.

Elsewhere, reigning champions Bury St Edmunds slipped further down the table into sixth following a draw with title chasers Swardeston.

Zimbabwean duo Richard Sims (56) and Brian Murphy (54) both hit half-centuries for Swardeston as they took charge, posting 274 for nine from their 66 overs.

Bury reached 109 for one in reply, but Jaden Hatwell halted their hopes of victory as he took five wickets to reduce them to 166 for six.

At that stage Swardeston looked on course for a 30-point win, which would have virtually sealed the title. However they were frustrated by an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 65 between Nick Lee and Andrew Tweedie, which saw Bury to 231 for six at the close.

Swardeston and Vauxhall Mallards will now go head-to-head this weekend in a match that will decide the title. Mallards sealed a vital 23-run win over Godmanchester last Saturday, leaving them 13 points behind season-long leaders Swardeston.

Although Godmanchester still have a mathematical chance of taking the title outside of Norfolk, it looks like a straight battle between the two sides who have already contested the Carter Cup final this year and who will meet again in the Biss Trophy final on Sunday, the day after the EAPL title is decided.