Frinton were hammered by defending champions Swardeston to slip to fifth in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League, in a one-sided contest at Ashlyns Road on Saturday.

Hosts Frinton had nursed slender hopes of launching a late bid for the title themselves, or at least breaking into the top three, going into their two clashes with the top two in the league.

But following on from the previous weekend’s heavy defeat at league leaders Sudbury, Frinton were again second best against a strong Swardeston outfit who are pushing for their sixth title on the trot.

Swardeston won the toss and opted to bat, a decision which was completely vindicated as they powered to a daunting total of 352 for four off their 50 overs.

Openers Jordan Taylor and Jason Reynolds put on 129 for the first wicket, to set the trend for the day.

Reynolds made 67, off 75 balls, but Jordan Taylor carried on to make a century, striking 103 off 125 deliveries.

Taylor and danger-man Joe Gatting added 179 runs for the third wicket, to take the score on from 143 for two to 322 for three. Gatting smashed 123 off just 83 balls, striking four sixes and 12 boundaries in another entertaining knock.

Most of Frinton’s bowlers were treated harshly. Spinner Harry Nightingale did take the wicket of Callum Taylor, caught by Ishmael Dar, but his 10 overs went for 81 runs.

Even the experienced Merv Westfield, the ex-Essex pace-man, was kept subdued with figures of 10-1-60-0, and by the end of the innings skipper Kyran Young had employed eight bowlers.

Frinton’s reply got off to a very poor start, opener Michael Comber bowled for a duck by Thomas Oxley – the Swardeston opening bowler took the first three wickets to fall.

Captain Young (7) was Oxley’s second victim, and opener Michael Griggs’ rapid 34 off 22 balls was also ended by Oxley, caught by Callum Taylor, to leave the score on 67 for three.

West field did briefly threaten to cut loose, smashing 55 off just 26 balls before he was trapped LBW by Callum Taylor, having hit two sixes and nine fours.

No other Frinton batsman made double figures.