Stradbroke A beat Rumburgh by 31 runs in the MSC Suffolk Alliance Section A. On a dry pitch at Stradbroke, bowlers can rightly expect some favours, but while it looked like most were batting in a snake pit, Alan Barker played the most sumptuous innings.

Getting off the mark with a straight drive, everything came out of the middle into the areas he aimed his shots. Six bowlers came and went, Barker just carried on, reaching his fourth hundred for Stradbroke, passing his career-best 127, before being dismissed off the last ball of the 45 overs trying to reach 150.

Much credit must go to Dan Tompkins who hit a decent 57 not out, adding 140 for the fourth wicket, leaving the visitors shell shocked, chasing 250.

To their credit they gave it a go. Paul Godbold (69) and Richard Lee (67 not out) played knocks that would be match winners on another day, but, as he does when in rhythm, Lee Bedwell (five for 47), just kept hitting the stumps at regular intervals for the A-team's first win of 2011.

Stradbroke A 249 for 4 (A Barker 148, D Tompkins 57 not out), Rumburgh 218 (P Godbold 69, R Lee 67 not out, L Bedwell five for 47).

Diss A (7 pts) lost to Rocklands (25 pts) by 30 runs in the Frankly Digital Norfolk Alliance Division Five.

With the continuation of the dry weather and warm temperatures, and travelling with only 10 men, Diss were hoping to win the toss and bat but they lost and had to field.

Although a man short, Diss were showing great spirit in the field, this was buoyed by the early wicket of the dangerous Mann (6) when Alex Blakely had him caught at slip by Craig Barker.

He then found the edge of Noonan's (8) bat with Colin Atkinson taking the catch down the leg side.

This brought three more quick wickets with Blakely and Atkinson accounting for Aamer (4), Andy Tebble having Hawkins (0) caught and bowled, and Pearce (0) caught Gareth Killian bowled Willy Ward.

While this was all going on Will DeFoe was busy dispatching the loose balls to the boundary and with Les Able (18 not out) amassed a 107 partnership,

So from a promising 58 for five, they had reached 165 for five when Kieran Pask induced a skied pull shot that seemed to be in the air for ever until Gareth Killian calmly held on to end DeFoe's innings for a match-winning 103.

Some hard hitting from Carr (30) pushed the score along before the returning Blakely removed him and Smith (4) to catches from Tebble and Abbott to leave a total of 201 for eight.

The Diss innings started with a six from the bat of Killian (15) but he was to perish early along with Barker (6) to bring young Pask and Blakely together, and while they were at the wicket Diss were in with a shout.

So from 29 for two they pushed the score up to 127 when Pask was bowled for a very good knock of 65, wickets started to fall at regular intervals with Ward (4), Philpot (6) and Abbott (0) then Blakely fell for 45 and Diss were unable to hold on for the draw with Dan Betts (7 not out), after losing Tebble (6) and last man Atkinson (0) to finish on 171 all out.

Diss B (3 pts) lost to Hardingham B (26 pts) by nine wickets in the Lucas Fettes Norfolk League Division Eight.

With visitors Hardingham arriving with nine players and Diss winning the toss and deciding to bat the omens looked good for the home side to put a decent total on the board.

Doug Young was unable to continue where he left off the previous week as he mis-timed a pull and was caught and bowled for 10. Three further Diss wickets fell for little addition to the score as Hardingham were on top with some accurate bowling.

Mark Brawn, captain for the day, held the innings together for a well-grafted 29 and received excellent support from Ben Goldsmith.

After Brawn departed Diss lost further wickets and found themselves in trouble. But enter Frank Davey for his first appearance of the season. Frank kept his end up as Goldsmith hit the bad ball before eventually being bowled for 38.

Davey ensured the scoreboard ticked over with some lusty hits before being the last man out for 34. Blooms was the pick of the Hardingham bowlers with 3-14, as Diss were all out for 135.

For Diss to make an impact early wickets were needed. The breakthrough came in the ninth over when Howard (27) was caught by wicket-keeper Brawn off the bowling of Lewis Brawn with the score on 48.

However, this ended up being Diss' only success. Several bowlers were tried but the batsmen were able to pick off the bad the delivery as Bloom (48 not out) and Falcon (50 not out) saw Hardingham home in the 24th over.

Redgrave and Bressingham beat Bunwell (Bunwell 150 all out from 39.2 overs, Redgrave and Bressingham 153-5 in 30.5 overs.

Redgrave entered this top-of-the-table clash full of confidence, and upon losing the toss found themselves fielding first.

Opening up was the fiery Robbie West, and the steady trundle of Robert Tooke. West immediately found the surface to his liking with plenty of bounce, and was rewarded with just the third ball of the innings when Cannell hung his bat out to dry and was caught behind for nought.

With all Bunwell batsmen struggling to get runs on the board, Tooke had Astow caught and bowled, quickly followed by top scorer Barnes for 34, out in the same fashion, this time by David Tooke.

James Shepherd then entered the attack, and had the dangerous Parfitt well caught in the covers by West.

The spin triplets of Mark Williamson, James Wilby and Sam Cremnitz then did a fine job keeping a lid on matters, each getting in on the act and adding to the wickets column. Cremnitz owed much to the safe hands of Graham Kayley for his second wickets however, taking a steepler at short-fine leg.

With Daniel Betts finishing off the innings with a googly and a slower ball, Redgrave would have been more than happy chasing 150 on a lightning-fast outfield.

In reply, Redgrave started in Twenty20 mode, with Will Dawson smiting a monstrous six in the very first over. With Betts now looking to bat through, Dawson crashed 33 at over a run a ball, before running past one off the spin of Robbie.

With Kayley being given the responsibility of the number three slot again, he again let the pressure get to him, this time giving Robbie a simple return catch.

This was to be a blessing in disguise as Alistair Shepherd strode out and immediately peppered the boundary, hitting four fours in 16 off 11 balls.

Williamson then joined Betts, and despite hitting some very classy shots, holed out to long-on for 19. Betts, on the other hand, looked certain for a well-deserved 50, but top edged a rising delivery from Barber to fall for 48.

This left Wilby and R Tooke to see the side home, the latter hitting a booming 21 from 13 balls and confirm a well-deserved victory.

Mellis SECONDS put in another poor batting display, losing easily to Elveden.

Put into bat, they were soon three wickets down with only a few runs on the board. Mark Prior attempted to keep the innings together, in partnership first with Ben Roberts and the Rob Tilley, but it was hard going and Mellis were soon all out for 77.

In reply, Elveden scored slowly, losing an early wicket to Sean Thompson, but they made gradual progress and in spite of David Williamson picking up two more wickets, they passed the Mellis total with relative ease.