FRINTON looked uncharacteristically lacklustre on their visit to Great Witchingham, where they were outdone by an unbeaten century from Norfolk’s Sam Arthurton.

Having lost the toss and been asked to bat first in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League contest, their innings took its normal course when Mike Griggs departed for 16.

Stand-in number three batsman Tom Benn swiftly followed him and it took Mervyn Westfield to show some resolve with opener Murray Commins.

Commins was well-caught in the slips off the bowling of Australian Brenton MacDonald for 33 and skipper Kyran Young was unable to repeat his heroics of last week as he departed caught behind without troubling the scorers.

In-form Zimbabwean David Brent arrived to support Westfield, who promptly departed for 45.

Frinton were staring into the abyss at 103 for five but Matt Foakes and Brent dug deep and put on a well-worked 114 sixth-wicket partnership.

When MacDonald bowled Foakes for 51, Brent was in need of support from the tail to continue.

Sadly for Frinton, this did not arrive and the last four batsmen managed just three runs between them.

Brent was caught behind for 78 while hitting out to end the Frinton innings at 243 all out.

Frinton felt they were 30-odd runs from a match-winning score, with MacDonald the pick of the Witchingham bowlers with five for 56.

Frinton started brightly when Brent removed opener Barry Briggs for 18.

However, his partner, Arthurton, was looking in top form.

He offered one chance to the field which was missed and then held his bat for an unbeaten 136.

Frinton managed to pick up two other wickets but with Dan Carter pulling up with injury, it was not the visitors' day as Witchingham cruised home with seven wickets in hand.

Frinton will want to quickly put this game behind them but could draw comfort from nine match points earned principally from their batting.

They face basement team Horsford on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Frinton's second team lost at home to Wivenhoe, having posted 144 all out, including 64 for Russ Stockdale.

Wivenhoe chased this down with five wickets in hand to win the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship contest.