Sudbury won a very tight contest against previously unbeaten Frinton-on-Sea in a rain-affected East Anglian Premier League clash at Friars Street on Saturday.

Defending champions Sudbury preserved their own unbeaten record, although the margin of victory was only nine runs.

Put into bat by visiting skipper, Kyran Young, Sudbury were bowled out for 255 off 38.5 overs.

Frinton’s target was initially revised to 271 off 40 overs, but the match was later abandoned after 34 overs of the reply with Frinton marooned on 223 for seven, nine runs short with regards the Duckworth-Lewis method.

After losing the early wicket of skipper Tom Huggins (6), and then a bright 33 off 38 balls from Suffolk captain Adam Mansfield – both men fell to Merv Westfield – Sudbury recovered thanks to a 83-run stand for the third wicket between Darren Batch and Kenny Moulton-Day.

Moulton-Day made 37 off 46 balls, while club captain Batch hung around to be the backbone of the innings with 78, putting on a further 87 for the fourth wicket with overseas player Timothy Johnston (53 off 31 balls).

From a promising position of 231 for three, Sudbury then lost a clutch of late wickets.

Former Essex fast bowler Westfield ended with figures of 7-3-26-4, and there were also four wickets for skipper Young (6.5-0-32-4). Michael Comber’s five overs cost just 16 runs.

Jonny Gallagher trapped opener Alex Price (2) leg before early on in Frinton’s reply, while James Poulson had Young (9) caught behind by wicketkeeper Mansfield.

Opener Joe Fowler, who had amassed a quick 45 off 35 balls, including a couple of sixes, was the third man out on 76, bowled by Dustin Melton.

But it was Billy Moulton-Day who was to take some vital late wickets. He removed danger-man Westfield for 38, and also all-rounder Comber (58), after the former Bury St Edmunds captain had hit four sixes and four fours.

Huggins had Sri Lankan Pulina Tharanga (8) dismissed LBW, and Billy Moulton-Day dismissed Miguel Machado (6) to leave Frinton on 180 for seven.

An unbeaten partnership of 43 between Dominic Stockdale (25no) and John Hambrook (17no) almost saw the Essex side home, but in the end Sudbury edged to victory in the wet conditions.