It was excellent day for Norfolk CCC in front of another large crowd at Sprowston CC when they produced two good performances to win both NCCA T20 games and clinch top spot in Group 2 with still two games to play against Cambridgeshire CCC at Exning Park on 5th July. None of the other teams in the group can catch Norfolk who have won five of their six matches in the competition, and this means they will host the Super 12’s on 9th August at Sprowston.
In the morning game Suffolk won the toss and elected to bat. It was a decision they were soon regretting as there were two superb opening spells from Hami Qadri and Andy Hanby that reduced the visitors to 6 for 4 after three overs. With the second ball of the match Qadri trapped Alex Maynard LBW for 0 and Hanby followed with the big wicket of Suffolk professional Feroze Kushi who had scored two centuries in four innings with his first delivery. Three balls later Hanby bowled Darren Ironside and when the second ball of Qadri’s second over sent skipper Jacob Marston back to the pavilion Suffolk were in some disarray on 6 for 4.
There was some respite as Josh Cantrell (30) and Kieran Pell (41) added 46 for the fifth wicket before Cantrell became Qadri’s third victim when caught by Jonah Wicks. Suffolk lost two more wickets on 52 but some powerful stroke play by Henry Bevan (30 n.o.) saw them get to the respectable total of 116 as they were bowled out off the last ball of the innings. For Norfolk Qadri had the outstanding figures of 4 for 7, Hanby 2 for 13 and Arthur Wilcox chipped in with 3 for 31 all from four overs.
Sam Arthurton and Freddie Fairey ensured there were to be no early scares for Norfolk as they put on 76 for the first wicket in nine overs. Fairey was bowled by Tom Harper for 46 and Ben Wicox was stumped by Marston off Ironside for 5. Those were to be the only two successes for Suffolk as Captain Sam Arthurton with 59 n.o. and Alfie Cooper 8 n.o. saw Norfolk home to a comfortable victory in the sixteenth over.
Arthurton decided to bat first after winning the toss for the second game and again he led from the front adding 60 for the opening wicket with Fairey who departed in sixth over for 34 that included five fours and one six. The skipper who was in dominant form throughout the day continued to impress in another assured batting display. When he was bowled for 74 (five fours and two sixes) in the eighteenth over by Cantrell with the score on 150 for 5 Norfolk were well on their way to a challenging total. Arthur Wilcox with an unbeaten 27 including two maximums and Jonah Wicks 10 n.o. saw the final total to 185 for 5.
Suffolk made a decent start second time round and Kushi was going well when with the score on 57 there was a mix up with Ironside and Kushi was run out for 36. Cantrell played well for his 48 but Suffolk were always behind the run rate due to some disciplined bowling from the Norfolk attack. Their innings drifted along to 152 for 7 from their allotted overs leaving Norfolk victors by 33 runs. Arthur Wilcox bowled his four overs for just 14 runs and Nathan Muggeridge whilst a little expensive had two wickets to his name.
Scorecard: Norfolk CCC
