Saffron Walden seconds were suitably chuffed to claim a 43-run win over in-form Sawston at a sunny Anglo American Playing Fields on Saturday.

Captain Tom Pluck chose to bat and saw his openers take a while to get going in the early overs as left-arm fast-medium Oliver North and big South African Christopher Dixon took the new ball.

Tom Bonham accelerated the scoring with some excellent attacking shots and Luke Swanston responded to his partner, upping his intent with three textbook straight drives down the ground.

It proved a favoured scoring area, with one large square boundary not yielding much reward for batters, but Swanston was dropped by visiting captain Nick Griggs on 28 to the frustration of Dixon.

Griggs spared his blushes by dismissing Bonham with a medium-paced delivery that nipped off the seam to take the outside edge and go through to the keeper.

Finn Karsten never got going, making six from 11 balls before being caught behind off Aaron Pledger and Swanston fell two short of a half-century when outwitted by crafty leg-spinner Sanish Gopalan, Sawston's player of the day.

That left Walden 102-3 from 22 overs but left-hander Jack Carroll produced a master class, with an array of shots and two sixes down the ground off Matthew Day.

Wickets fell at the other end, as Dixon struck twice more in his second stint, but captain Pluck made a quick 37 off 26 balls before falling to North.

Carroll finished with an excellent 82 from 84 balls as Walden closed on a respectable 273-7 against a feared bowling attack that hadn't conceded in excess of 200 in their previous four matches.

Cameron Taylor opened the bowling for Walden and achieved some nice movement in now blustery conditions.

Ian Smith edged through the slips on one but was bowled by Taylor for seven, while fellow opener Ben Benson lost his middle stump to Henry Rodda in the next over.

That left Sawston 30-2, but Oliver Borely (29) and Callum Hale steadied the ship before off-spinner Oliver Rae dismissed the former as he looked to increase the tempo.

Hale hit five sixes down the ground to reach 64 before he was run out by Ormsby, pretty much ending Sawston's chase as they found themselves 183-6 off 39 overs.

And Carroll completed his fine day by taking a stunning diving catch, charging in from mid-off to grab a ball that tail-ender Gopalan had spooned into the air, as Sawston closed on 230-8.

*Walden thirds came up 24 runs short of Milton's 218-5 with Grinners (43) and Wintner (2-47) their top performers.

And the fourths lost to Royston after posting 179, with Bailey (40) top scoring and Bowen nabbing 2-39.

Walden's women beat Orton Park to move top of the Two Counties Performance West table.

Robbie Heathcote retired after her first half-century helped them reach 154-3 from 20 overs, with Emmy Brown (3-12) taking the game away from the hosts, who replied with 95-8.

The under-19s beat Colchester in the Ravi Bopara Cup after Dan Karr (62 not out) and captain Stan Leech (34) led them to 199.

Nikhil Gorantla (2-34) and H Howarth (2-34) pegged the hosts back after a flying start, with two run outs by S Thain sealing a 27-run win.