Frinton enjoyed the better of their Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League match at Great Witchingham, which was abandoned as a draw on Saturday.

This was a duel between the third and fourth-placed teams in the league, and Frinton closed the gap on their opponents to 21 points following a good batting display, which saw them make 264 all out off 59.2 overs.

In reply, Great Witchingham had struggled to 68 for three, off 21.2 overs, when the rain arrived and play was abandoned – Frinton earned 14 points, and Great Witchingham eight.

The Essex visitors have now won six and drawn three of their first 14 fixtures. They are certainly on course to improve on last season’s seventh-placed finish, although they are unlikely to match their second spot from their debut season at this level.

Put into bat by their hosts, Frinton lost Michael Griggs (4) early on with just five runs on the board – Griggs had come into the game bang in form, having scored a century in the previous weekend’s 94-run win at home to Cambrdge Granta.

But a second-wicket stand of 120, between the experienced duo of Michael Comber and Kyran Young, gave Frinton the edge.

Ex-Bury St Edmunds captain Comber plundered 86 off 87 balls, smashing three sixes and nine fours, before he was caught by Andrew Hanby off Luke Schlemmer.

All-rounder Young, a Suffolk county player, found good additional support from Joe Fowler, the pair putting on 60 for the fourth wicket before the latter was bowled by Michael Jones for 25.

Kemar Smith contributed a useful 21 at No. 7, off 20 balls, while a watchful Young was eventually the seventh wicket to fall, having made a fine 83 off 151 deliveries.

For the hosts, Philip King ended with figures of 6.3-0-28-4, and Jones took three for 35.

In reply, spinner Smith, pace-man Merv Westfield and spinner Harry Nightingale all took a wicket each, as Great Witchingham slumped from 43 for no wicket to 58 for three.

But opener James Spelman was still at the crease, on 36 not out, when play was brought to a premature close.

Frinton entertain bottom club Bury St Edmunds this Saturday.