HADLEIGH slipped up in their chase for the Division Two title by losing both of their matches, while BT Research and Nacton still remain unbeaten and head the table.

HADLEIGH slipped up in their chase for the Division Two title by losing both of their matches, while BT Research and Nacton still remain unbeaten and head the table. Castle CC gave a good account of themselves before going down to Martlesham, who themselves lost to Browns A.

In the first match of the day, Martlesham inserted Castle CC despite having only five men on the field. Phil Murray struck in his first over, but Clark (23) and Lewis, aided by some wayward Martlesham bowling, took the score to 64 before both were dismissed. None of the other batsmen managed to make much impression and Castle were dismissed for 79, having achieved their first batting point of the season.

Pete Smith (25no) and Garry Venn (21no) were the main run scorers for Martlesham, the Castle CC attack being almost as generous with wides and no balls as were Martlesham. Richard Allport was the only Martlesham batsman to be dismissed, thus giving Martlesham a five wicket victory with five balls remaining.

Browns A were asked to bat by Martlesham in their second game and once again had an early success with the dismissal of James McNally for one. Kris Butler was joined by John McNally (22) pressed into service owing to the illness of Neal Manning, but progress was slow. The first six overs yielded only 29 runs, but the later batsmen all decided to attack the Martlesham bowling, which was still extremely generous with wides and no balls. Richard Allport ended with two for 24 to finish off the Browns' innings for 89 with two balls to go.

Martlesham could not cope with the Browns' young opening bowlers, Kris Butler (3 wickets) and Rosh Wimalananda (1) conceding only 16 runs from their 36 deliveries. Garry Venn and Richard Allport were the only two to reach double figures and Martlesham were dismissed 28 runs short of their target in the 11th over.

Hadleigh were asked to bat by Nacton but after a good start by 'Floss' Tampion and David Mann (30) fell away badly. Only Mike Gilderson gave the openers any support and with three batsmen failing to trouble the scorers, Hadleigh were dismissed for 69 two balls short of their overs.

Nacton set about the Hadleigh bowling with a will and with Mick Utting and Dave Hogarty providing good support to Dave Hunt (25no) their target was reached with more than three overs to spare, losing only two wickets in the process.

Hadleigh set Felixstowe Corinthians II a much harder target in their second game. 'Floss' Tampion (36) aided mainly by David Mann and Richard Green, topped the 100 mark to finish with 103 all out.

Mark Sawyer and Simon Grimson provided Felixstowe Corinthians II with a solid base from which to attack the Hadleigh score. Chris Laws (20no) and Dave Went at the end did just that and they skated home with two balls to spare to record their second win of the season by two wickets.

In the final match of the day, a much-changed Woodbridge/OW's II side asked BT Research to bat. Both of the BT openers (Griffiths 25no and Justin Fiddaman 25no) scored freely and with Gadne (21) and Kumar Kumaraswami weighing in with a flourish at the end, BT finished with the highest score of the day, 113 for three wickets.

Any hopes that Woodbridge may have had of chasing the BT total were dashed with the early dismissals of Graham Deere and Ian Atkins. Only Charlie Morris managed to reach double figures although 13-year-old Hannah Deere, on her debut, proved to be a stumbling block, the end came two balls from the end of the final over with Woodbridge being dismissed for 62 to lose by 51 runs.

Division Two Results

Castle CC 79 for 5 wkts (Clark 23) Martlesham 81 for 1 (P Smith 25, Venn 21no). Castle Cc (1pt) lost to Martlesham (6) by 5 wkts.

Browns A 89 for 6 (John McNally 22, Allport 2 for 24), Martlesham 61 for 6 (Butler 3 for 9). Browns A (7) bt Martlesham (2) by 28 runs.

Hadleigh 69 for 6 (Mann 30) Nacton 71 for 2 (Hunt 25no). Hadleigh (0) lost to Nacton (7) by 4 wkts.

Hadleigh 103 for 6 (S Tampion 36, G Webb 2 for 27) Felixstowe Corinthians II 104 for 4 (Laws 29no). Hadleigh (3) lost to Felixstowe Corinthians II (8) by 2 wkts.

BT Research 113 for 3 (Griffiths 25no, Fiddaman 15no, Gadne 21) Woodbridge/OW's II 62 for 6. BT Research (8) bt Woodbridge/OW's II (1) by 51 runs.