Having tasted defeat for the first time this season the previous Saturday, Great Melton bounced back with a six-wicket victory at Acle A.

It means that at the half-way stage of the season, and having won eight of their nine games, they are top of the Norfolk Alliance Division Three table but only two points clear of closest challengers Martham.

Richard Wood made an unbeaten 73 and Marcus Godbold 46 as Melton chased down Acle's 200-8 for the loss of four wickets. Richard Waddell took 4-42, Alex Rennie 2-42 and Nick Mackenzie a miserly 2-11 in 9 overs. It was good to see both Godbold and Chris Greenslade, who now live in London, making a welcome return.

It was the club's beer festival weekend and both the A and B teams ensured there was plenty to celebrate as they too pulled off victories against Swardeston & CEYMS and Cringleford respectively. Nick Aston scored a belligerent 67 and there were excellent contributions from Sam Mann (58), Matt Clarke (34), Lee Whiddett (33) and Matt Henderson, whose unbeaten 33 was his highest score for Melton who totalled a daunting 305-7. With his bowling options rather limited, Simon Woods, was mindful that he needed a good total to defend and, with the previous week's centurion Kevin Cooper (59) at the crease, Swardeston looked dangerous for a time but in the end, the visitors reached 202-6 with Clarke Melton's most successful bowler with 2-19.

Both senior sides have tough games on Saturday, with the firsts travelling to third placed Bungay and the seconds hosting leaders Snettisham.

The B team, helped by 10 overs from Dale Weston that brought him figures of 2-7, three wickets for young Josh Wright (3-30) and two for Leo Desalis (2-35) and Navin Sharma (2-3), had visitors Cringleford in real trouble at 71-7 but they eventually got up to 142. Melton chased them down for the loss of five wickets, Eusha Fawad scoring 33, Sharma 29 and Chris McKay 22.

Only the C's suffered defeat after being bowled out for just 77 at Bungay with only James Bridges (15) making double figures.

Father-daughter combination Kevin and Caitlin Ellis took a wicket apiece but Alex Codd (20), William Thompson (28) and Richard Davies (14) saw Bungay home in only 14 overs.