Old Buckenham hosted Horsford A looking to maintain their good early season form in the top flight of the Norfolk Alliance but ended up suffering a disappointing defeat.

After winning the toss skipper Terry Perry elected to field first.

Opener Hendrie struggled with his line as Perry Warnes cashed in, however Meredith soon removed both Ratledge and Perry Warnes to pull back the away side's early advantage.

The partnership of Meredith and Pentz threatened but Matt Spenceley and new arrival Wilkinson weathered the storm and then took advantage of some wayward bowling on a flattening track.

The thirfd wicket partnership added 110 runs as only Alexander curtailed the scoring, Wilkinson passing 50 but Spenceley eventually falling leg before on 46 to the new bowler Lawrence.

Bryan fell bowled to the same bowler but the arrival of Chris Spenceley allowed Wilkinson to keep his side's momentum in the middle to latter overs. Pentz returned and removed Spenceley and captain Lincoln but by this stage Wilkinson had stepped up his charge towards a hundred.

Meredith then removed Peters before Thurley returned to dismiss Law and Minns. However the away side were finding the boundary regularly and had passed the 200 mark, with Wilkinson set in the 90sgoing into the penultimate over.

Wilkinson found the boundary from the second ball of the over to bring his ton up but then fell to a brilliant diving catch by Shearing off Meredith to curtail the Horsford innings on 231.

This was 20 runs or so short on what was a good pitch to bat on but Bucks needed to start well to chase down the total. Unfortunately, skipper Perry fell early, caught behind, and Thurley was bowled to leave the home side 41-2.

Pentz then threatened, finding the boundary regularly, but his dismissal to Lincoln started a tailspin that Bucks couldn't shake off. Bint and Heaney gotd starts but couldn't progress their innings quick enough which left the lower order far too much to do in the latter overs.

Shearing's innings of 41 gave Bucks hope but when big-hitting Lawrence was removed, the home side lost regular wickets and fell 24 runs short; Hendrie the last man out from the penultimate ball of the innings. The Bucks travel to Acle on Saturday.