Watton found themselves short of two bowlers and batsman due to a wedding this Saturday and this proved to be a telling loss against a friendly but competitive Drayton squad.

Watton found themselves short of two bowlers and batsman due to a wedding this Saturday and this proved to be a telling loss against a friendly but competitive Drayton squad.

With the Watton captain winning the toss, Drayton were put into bat in winter-like conditions.

With two opening bowlers absent, Daniel Burrage and Richard Dicks were drafted in to open the bowling on a wicket that showed early signs of seam movement.

However, the experienced Drayton openers R Taylor and N Massingham kept Watton's attack at bay while moving on the scoring steadily, that is until the 13th over when Dicksy trapped Massingham for 18 lbw on the back foot. Taylor was soon to follow when Burrage clean bowled the left-hander for 24 with a full ball that seamed from outside off stump to take the middle stump.

With Watton asserting pressure S Simpson was caught behind by vice-captain M Ransom for a duck off a quicker Dicksy ball that found some extra bounce.

Watton, on the ascendancy, were then thwarted by rain showers, which led them having to retire to the changing rooms five times during their bowling, making it hard for the Watton bowlers to maintain any kind of rhythm.

Showing great spirit of cricket both sides battled on against the conditions determined to obtain a result.

W Herring entered the fray for Drayton and backed by N Chamberlain and S Trett batted very sensibly for 51 not out taking Drayton to a hard earned 197 for 9. Ransom finished as pick of the bowling taking 2-29 off 10 overs.

With Walsh opening the batting this week with Paul Norman, Watton raced along as the captain found runs easy to come by ending the fourth over on 22 runs.

Sadly, Scarf started to find line and length and with a full-length ball swinging into the left-hander, the captain was dismissed with a quick fire 28.

After that the Watton batting line-up slowly crumbled although W Oakey, back from an operation, battled on for 17 not out and Roger Horne valiantly put on 16 before being caught off Trett's bowling leaving Watton 71 runs short for their third loss in a row.

Watton face Winterton away next week and hope to return to winning ways.