Basement dwellers, Bury St Edmunds, crashed to their ninth defeat of the summer, this time at the hands of Great Witchingham by a big eight-wicket margin at The Victory Ground, to be cast adrift at the foot of the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League by 60 points.

Under-performing Bury have only mustered one win from 13 matches this season, as they face up to yet another massive test to avoid relegation, and they were always playing second fiddle to Great Witchingham on another scorching hot day, suffering at the hands of some superb bowling from Brett Stolworthy.

The Norfolk side won the toss and elected to field first, and they cut through the Bury batting line-up as the home side were dismissed for a below-par 180 off 55 overs.

Only overseas player, Murray Commins, threatened to guide Bury to a competitive score, the 21-year-old South African digging deep to top-score with 64 at No. 3, facing 118 balls in the process.

Commins put on 43 for the second wicket with opener Alfie Marston (19), before the latter became the first of Stolworthy’s seven victims.

James Spelman accounted for Bury captain Sean Park (4), but otherwise it was Stolworthy and opening bowler Andrew Hanby who were responsible for seeing the hosts lose their first five wickets with 94 on the board.

Commins did find some good support from all-rounder Alastair Allchin, the pair adding 43 for the sixth wicket before Commins was caught and bowled by Stolworthy, having hit eight fours in his knock.

Allchin was the eighth wicket to fall, on 166, after facing 52 balls for his 37. He too was outwitted by Stolworthy, who finished with figures of 15-2-48-7.

Great Witchingham’s experienced opening pair of Spelman and Sam Arthurton ensured that the result was never in doubt, threatening to bat right through for a 10-wicket win after putting on 156 for the first wicket.

Skipper Arthurton was eventually dismissed, caught by Josh Cantrell off Oliver Riddick for a classy 88, accumulated off 95 balls and including 15 fours and a couple of sixes.

Riddick also got rid of James Page cheaply, but Spelman was unbeaten on 53 as the visitors reached their target off just 35.5 overs, with eight wickets in hand.