FAKENHAM secured a battling five-wicket win over lowly Ashmanhaugh & Barton Wanderers in the Norfolk Alliance Premier Division on Saturday.

The victory keeps Fakenham second in the table, although they dropped further behind leaders Norwich, who picked up four more points than their closest rivals in a 94-run win at Lowestoft.

Wanderers batted first at Highfield Lawn and were quickly in trouble as Kimeshin Chetty and Will Dunger struck three early blows between them, removing Max McIntosh, Bernie Everitt and Ali Ponder cheaply.

South African Hendro Puchert held up the Fakenham charge with an innings of 41, before he became one of two victims for Fakenham’s Sean Cooper.

The lower order was then destroyed by spinner Ashley Jarvis, who returned figures of four for 18 from 8.5 overs, as Wanderers slumped to 103 all out in just the 34th over.

Keegan Monahan-Fairlie (24) and skipper Ben Harvey (19) gave the Fakenham reply a solid base, with Harvey facing 88 deliveries in a determined effort.

Adam Woodhouse, Dunger and Chris Spenceley all fell cheaply to leave Fakenham in danger of wobbling, but James Moy (21no) and Cooper (23no) guided them to victory in the 58th over.

Fakenham travel to Sprowston on Saturday.

n Fakenham A won by five wickets at Great Melton A in Alliance Division Two.

Melton batted first and recovered from 24-3 to post a challenging 182-8.

Chris Crane (47) top scored in the Fakenham reply, and with 10 needed from the final over, Lloyd Marshall struck a six and a four to seal the win with two balls to spare.

n Fakenham Ladies were nine-wicket winners over Winterton.

Meghan Smith and Amie Hutchison each took two wickets to help restrict Winterton to 80-7 from their 20 overs, before Hutchison hit 50no as Fakenham won with more than seven overs to spare.