FRINTON Cricket Club skipper Kyran Young wants his team to keep playing to their strengths and finish the season with a flourish.

The Ashlyns Road side climbed to third in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League table after a 19-run success at Great Witchingham on Saturday.

Young scored an unbeaten 99 and there were significant contributions from former Essex pair Michael Comber (81) and Jaik Mickleburgh (42).

Migs Machado then did most damage with the ball, claiming three wickets for 46 runs.

Young admitted it was great to get back to winning ways, after the frustration of three successive draws.

“It was such a big morale-booster,” said the Australian.

“It can be quite deflating when you’ve given everything, had the opposition on the ropes and only end up drawing.

“So to get back to winning ways felt great and we deserved it because of the performance we produced.

“We played to our strengths and, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, we always knew we were capable of setting an imposing total that put them under pressure.

“Witchingham are a good side but our score meant they had to go for runs, which played into our hands and suited our brand of cricket.

“Batting first is ideal for us, assuming the pitch is conducive to that.

“If not, and we have to bat second, we always back ourselves to chase down a target because we’ve got guys capable of making runs all the way down the order.

“A lot of our batsmen are in form and long may that continue.”

After opting to bat first, Frinton made 295 for five from their 50 overs.

Young finished one short of a century, still unbeaten, and he was ably backed up by Comber, Mickleburgh and also Mervyn Westfield (35).

Witchingham then finished on 276 for nine, after 50 overs.

Machado’s three-wicket haul came in 7.4 overs, Young returned two for 56 in ten overs and there were also wickets for Comber, Westfield and Sri Lankan Pulina Tharanga.

Frinton host Vauxhall Mallards on Saturday and Young added: “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing, playing well, winning games and keeping the pressure on the top two (Sudbury and Swardeston).”

Meanwhile, Young is backing the club’s second team to clamber out of the relegation zone in division one of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship table.

The team are second from bottom and slid to their fourth straight defeat after losing by 109 runs at home to Witham on Saturday.

“They’ve definitely got the strength and capability to get out of trouble,” he said.

“They’ve just got to apply themselves and keep believing they can do it.”