SUDBURY gained eight more useful points in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League at Saffron Walden on Saturday.

After a promising start – Hasantha Fernando grabbed four wickets, including former England opener Jason Gallian first ball, and skipper Darren Batch took four for 38 – a last-wicket partnership of 41 took the home team to 261 all out.

Although the final tally was more than might have been expected, it took Saffron Walden their full 66 overs and left Sudbury 55 overs to chase down 261 – or hold out for a draw.

Ex-Essex bowler Darren Cousins claimed an early wicket and Batch hit three fours and a six before being caught next ball for 18.

Further wickets fell to leave Jay Phillips and Fernando together until the latter was caught in the deep for 28.

The target was now well out of sight so Phillips continued his defiance, only falling in the penultimate over of the day having scored 35 in 54 overs. He faced 163 deliveries and hit three of them to the boundary.

Siegert was left undefeated on 18 and Sudbury had comfortably secured the draw at 132 for six.

Halstead have struggled for runs this summer, but they made up for that with an emphatic performance away to bottom team Norwich.

Matt Spatcher (89), Josh Wells (68), Matthew Surry (65) and Amit Gupta (92) all hit sixes as bat dominated ball to the tune of 330 for five declared in 63.2 overs.

Norwich were reduced to 33 for four in reply when Ashley Watson (110) and Tom Goodley (56) added 121 for the fourth wicket.

Watson was eighth out with the total on 227 and the last two wickets soon followed as Halstead secured their first win of the season.

Ed Clark snapped up five for 42 and Josh Wells took the last wicket in the nick of time.

Justin Bishop scored 101 and Scott Harvey was 50 not out when Bury St Edmunds reached 223 for three in their 66 overs at Horsford. But the home side raced to a seven-wicket win as Reece O’Connell ended on 66 not out.

Clacton suffered a heavy defeat away to leaders Great Witchingham. Carl Rogers (144) and James Spelman (92) added 200 for the first wicket in a total of 300 for three, then Clacton fell for 150 in reply.

After 34 from Michael Comber and 32 from Stefanus Gericke, it was a late 42 from Glen Barnard that took Clacton from 102 for nine with a last wicket partnership worth 48 alongside Michael Beeson, whose share was just four.

Gibbs Denley

East Anglian Premier League

*Cambridge Granta 200 for 8 (66 overs: S Park 74, J Hatwell 4 for 55). Swardeston 204 for 4 (49.1 overs: P Lambert 90, R Simms 55no). Swardeston (25pts) bt Cambridge Granta (8) by 6 wkts.

Great Witchingham 300 for 3 (66 overs: C Rogers 144, J Spelman 92, Sam Arthurton 40no). *Clacton 150 (45.1 overs: G Barnard 42, M Comber 34, S Gericke 32, J Hale 6 for 76, R McCone 3 for 25). Gt Witchingham (30) bt Clacton (2) by 150 runs.

Bury St Edmunds 223 for 3 (66 overs: J Bishop 101, S Harvey 50no, T Huggins 38). *Horsford 224 for 3 (50.5 overs: R O’Connell 66no, N Perry-Warnes 51, M Warnes 45, L Caswell 23no, D Clark 21). Horsford (25) bt Bury St Edmunds (7) by 7 wkts.

Halstead 330 for 5 (63.2 overs: A Gupta 92, M Spatcher 89, J Wells 68, M Surry 65, Ash Watson 3 for 36). *Norwich 230 (56.3 overs: Ash Watson 110, T Goodley 56, E Clark 5 for 42). Halstead (30) bt Norwich (6) by 100 runs.

*Saffron Walden 261 (65.1 overs: G Gillard 58, T Smith 46, S Parmenter 40, N Batchelor 30no, J Rodgers 27, D Batch 4 for 38, K Fernando 4 for 63). Sudbury 132 for 6 (55 overs: J Phillips 35, K Fernando 28). Saffron Walden (16) drew with Sudbury (6).

*Vauxhall Mallards 385 for 5 (63 overs: G Suyman 101, P Free 100no, D Turner 77, A Shearer 56). Burwell 172 for 8 (61 overs: G Goosen 58). Vauxhall Mallards (17) drew with Burwell (6).

* Denotes home team.