THETFORD were involved in a basement battle, between the two teams looking to really kick-start their respective seasons but they failed to beat Ashmanhaugh after a below-par batting display.

THETFORD were involved in a basement battle, between the two teams looking to really kick-start their respective seasons but they failed to beat Ashmanhaugh after a below-par batting display.

The hosts, off the back of a good win against Fakenham, won the toss and put Thetford into bat, still chasing that elusive first win.

The Thetford opening pair of Bryanton and Conroy began solidly, slowly accumulating the runs needed for a potentially competitive total. The two, opening the batting together for the first time this year, had to face some very good pace bowling from overseas player, T Satti.

The stubborn resistance was ended; however it took the first change bowler of L Brar, to bowl two full tosses in quick succession to remove their wickets. This left Bryanton (23) and Conroy (32), failing to help themselves to the “buffet-bowling” he was serving up.

M Piggott, D Newey and A Dennis all came and went with the dangerous Satti claiming the trio.

This was to be the perennial Thetford collapse. R Smeed and P Sparkes followed and steadied the innings, with some well ground out runs each scoring 24, in particular Sparkes evidently seems to be getting better with age.

The lower order followed, P Terry picking off singles to ensure Thetford reached a second batting point, with a handful of overs to spare. The innings closed on 152-9, Satti claiming 6-25.

Ashmanhaugh opened their innings with purpose and intent, finding themselves on 37 after only the first six overs. T Satti, carrying on his form from bowling, tore apart the usually reliable Thetford openers J Lingard and R Smeed.

M Terry came in and took the wicket of B Everett with his second ball and then T Satti, who had hit an incredible 51 off 34 balls.

R Gant and T Sallis were now fresh at the crease, M Piggott had brought himself on and made the pair look like new-born foals on roller skates, but they just couldn't be prised from the crease.

Lingard, with a fiery second spell, proved too good for the batsman as they dangled their bats outside the off-stump.

Smeed, however, uncharacteristically not homing on the off-stump like he so often does, enabled the batsman to hit the winning runs with six wickets and five overs to spare ending on 154-4.

Thetford therefore lost their third game of the season, and are still chasing that elusive first victory.

Yet again an under-par batting performance proved to be a major headache for Thetford first team.