Frinton were hampered by three dropped catches as they had to make do with a frustrating draw at home to Great Witchingham in a Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League contest, at Ashlyns Road on Saturday.

The Essex hosts recovered from the precarious position of 108 for five, with their top five batsmen all back in the pavilion, to post a challenging total of 315 for seven off 64 overs, in the first long format game of the summer.

Miguel Machado top-scored with an excellent 94 not out, accrued off 136 balls, after sharing excellent partnerships with Sri Lankan all-rounder Pulina Tharanga (45) and Dominic Stockdale (a quickfire 64).

Machado and Tharanga steered Frinton back on course with a 70-run stand for the sixth wicket, before Stockdale struck three sixes and six fours in his 48-ball knock during a 112-run partnership with Machado for the seventh wicket.

In reply, Great Witchingham stumbled to 124 for five, with Merv Westfield making serious inroads with final figures of 18-4-74-4, but the visitors then batten down the hatches with Brett Stolworthy (30 not out) and Andrew Hanby (55no) guiding the Norfolk side to a draw with an unbroken stand worth 87. They finished on 211 for five.

“Batting conditions were testing early on, because there was a bit of grass on the pitch,” explained Frinton captain Kyran Young.

“We lost three wickets in quick succession before lunch, after being 74 for one, so Great Witchingham rightfully felt that they were in the box seat.

“However, our lower order batted very well. Pulina (Tharanga) batted sensibly. He was able to get stuck in and build an innings, for the first time this season, and his partnership with Miguel (Machado) was a key one.

“Dom (Stockdale) never changes his game and he came in and played a few shots to get his first fifty in the Premier League.

“In reply, they shut up shop after losing a few wickets. We tried our best, and I ended up using nine bowlers. We tried everything, but it’s difficult when a side just wants to bat it out.

“However, we dropped three catches, two of them easy ones, including dropping James Spelman in the first over, and he went on to make 43. As the saying goes – ‘catches win matches’ – and that’s very true,” added Young.