Swardeston have been saluted for taking over the mantle of Norfolk’s top club cricket team.
Mark Thomas and his men have finished as Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League runners-up to Bury St Edmunds, whose second successive title win was confirmed on Saturday.
“The other sides haven’t really been up to scratch in comparision with those two,” said Steve Goldsmith, who helped Vauxhall Mallards to four championships in the competition’s first six years.
“Swardeston would have had a very good chance of winning it in a normal season, but Bury have got the balance just right this year, with quality batters and four seamers as good as any in the league.
“Swardeston pushed them closest because, as well as having a good bowling attack, it has been a good season for their batting, which has been their weakness in the past.
“But for Bury’s seam bowling attack, I really do think Swardeston might have walked away with the title.”
Bury have an unassailable lead going into the season’s closing day after the abandonment because of rain of both their match at Godmanchester and Swardeston’s game against sixth-placed Mallards.
When a halt was called, Bury had made 117 for three in reply to Godmanchester’s 178 for eight. Matt Durrant top scored with 64 and Tony Palladino took six for 52. All 11 wickets in the match fell to catches.
Swardeston were 43 for two when play ended at Brundall, where, after taking an amazing 10.5 overs to score their first run off the bat, Mallards eventually posted 158 for eight, with Norfolk spinner George Walker taking five for 70.
Article courtesy of the Eastern Daily Press.
