GREAT Melton began their campaign in Division One of the Mid-Norfolk Sunday league with a narrow defeat.A young Vauxhall Mallards side, superbly marshalled by former Derbyshire and Norfolk star Steve Goldsmith, squeezed home to victory with just two balls to spare.

GREAT Melton began their campaign in Division One of the Mid-Norfolk Sunday league with a narrow defeat.

A young Vauxhall Mallards side, superbly marshalled by former Derbyshire and Norfolk star Steve Goldsmith, squeezed home to victory with just two balls to spare.

Earlier, Tony Alborough (81) and Martin Bunn (109) produced a quite magnificent 190-run stand for the second wicket and Melton saw off Goldsmith (3-26) and then made hay against the change bowlers, adding 112 runs in just 13 overs through the middle of the innings.

Bunn's sublime stroke play contrasted with Alborough's belligerent ball-striking as Melton totalled 233-5 on a green wicket.

However, despite this big total it was clear that the key wicket of Goldsmith would be needed if victory was to be achieved.

Despite a good start, reducing their hosts to 57-3 after 15 overs, Goldsmith (99 not out), assisted by S Plater (30) and B Stone (44) began to up the rate and took advantage of the short roadside boundary.

Goldsmith was particularly severe on anything short, but there were encouraging bowling performances from Henry Wanchoo (2-42), Duncan Osborne (0-33), Jamie Smith (1-60) and Lee Whiddett (1-33), and with Goldsmith proving impossible to dislodge, Melton did well to take the game to the final over with Mallards still requiring eight runs to win.

A straight six from Goldsmith sealed Mallards' victory with just two balls to spare.

This was a very encouraging performance from Melton, who will win more games than they lose this season if they perform in a similar manner.