Fakenham made it two wins on the trot in the Norfolk Alliance Premier Division when they saw off relegated Sprowston by seven wickets at Highfield Lawn.

The victory put a little more space between Fakenham and the drop zone but Saturday’s game at Brooke (12.30pm), the side immediately above them, will be crucial, as will the following weekend’s final fixture at home to North Runcton.

Sprowston won the toss and decided to bat first and it soon became obvious that the bowlers would have to work hard for any return as there was little in the wicket for them.

With 22 runs on the board after seven overs Tatenda Chirazda finally had some luck, Tom Keene caught behind by Tom Yarham for eight. Sridhar Tenjarla joined Danny Palmer at the crease and they took the score to 93 off 22 overs before Tenjarla was dismissed for 30 when he gave a catch to Joe Bane-Young in the deep off the bowling of Keegan Monahan-Fairlie.

Fakenham definitely had the upper hand as runs dried up for Sprowston, with Laurie Ollerton being bowled for six by captain Dave Coyle and opener Palmer finally falling for 57 to the spin of Yin Lo with a good catch by Will Dunger.

The next partnership added 46 before the returning Marshall bowled Daven Roff for 18 to make it 174-5 off 43 overs. The innings limped on to 206-9 off the 50 overs with Monahan-Fairlie finishing with 3-42.

Fakenham began their reply with Harrison Futter and Harry Bammant and disaster struck almost immediately as Futter received an almost unplayable delivery and was caught behind for four.

Monahan-Fairlie joined Bammant and together the pair added 68 runs for the next wicket in 12 overs before the former was comprehensively bowled for 21.

Bammant was then bowled by James Spilling for a good 51 to leave Fakenham on 89-3 off 19 overs.

Lloyd Marshall joined Dunger at the crease and from that point on the game was lost for Sprowston as Dunger hit 12 fours and six sixes in a magnificent 81 not out and Marshall ended on 39 not out, having hit two sixes in three deliveries to finish the game in just 33.3 overs.

The Cooke’s of Fakenham man-of-the-match quite obviously went to Dunger for his excellent match winning knock.