On a perfect cricket day weather wise skipper Sam Arthurton won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. Arthurton opened with Nathan Muggeridge and the pair made a solid start putting on 106 with youngster Muggeridge playing with confidence in his first appearance at the top of the order. He was first to depart when adjudged LBW to Seamus Nazir for 38. Arthurton then featured in a partnership of 56 with Ben Wilcox before he became the second wicket to fall when he was caught and bowled by Matty Mills for an excellent 84.
Wilcox and Alfie Cooper had pushed the score along to 207 when Wilcox (41) was bowled by Mark Footitt. Cooper and Charlie Hood both played very well in another stand of 106 and with the score on 313 Cooper’s fine knock came to an end when he was bowled for 68 by Tom Shephard.
After passing 325 to achieve the maximum four batting points Norfolk lost three wickets on 329, one of which was Hood for a superb 76. The Norfolk innings wound up on 374 for 9 after their allotted 90 overs with Callum Metcalf unbeaten on 25.
Norfolk were keen to make inroads into the Lincolnshire batting before the close of play and made the breakthrough when Hood took a brilliant stumping to dismiss captain Nick Keast (29) off the bowling of Hami Qadri. The home side ended day one on 43 for 1 after 16 overs.
Day two started well for Norfolk with the wicket of nightwatchman Finn Brookes falling when Cooper took a good catch at slip from Metcalf’s bowling. James Laud and professional Sam Evans added 77 for the third wicket before both were dismissed on 137. Laud became Qadri’s second victim when caught by Arthurton for 51 and Evans followed soon after as he was bowled by a brilliant delivery from Muggeridge who was the pick of the Norfolk seamers.
Lincolnshire were in search of batting points themselves, and Tom Keast (20) and Pranav Pothula (37) supported Jordan Cook who played very well for his 61 as the score reached 277 in 81st over. It was left to bowlers Footitt (32 n.o.) and Mills (37) to take the final total to 330 for 8 when Lincs declared with an over to spare in an attempt to deny Norfolk a fourth bowling point.
Qadri took 4 for 58 from 20 overs and Metcalf had 2 for 49.
Norfolk needed to make good progress in the remaining 29 overs of the day and negotiated their way well to reach 118 for the loss of Arthurton who was bowled by Shephard for 16 giving them a lead of 162.
On the final morning, the score had progressed to 147 when Ben Wilcox was run out going for a tight single for 37. The highly impressive Muggeridge notched his maiden half-century before falling to Nick Keast for 68. Cooper with 36 and Hood (60) who continued his great form to record his second fifty of the match, helped the score to 223. Then Arthur Wilcox hit three fours and two sixes in his 29 to move on the total to 297 for 7 when the declaration came after 65 overs leaving the Imps needing an unlikely 342 from a minimum of 60 overs for victory.
There was early hope for Norfolk when Andy Hanby had Laud superbly caught behind by a diving Hood and Cooper caught Nick Keast off Brett Stolworthy to reduce Lincs to 16 for 2 but they were to be the only successes as Sam Evans (20 n.o.) and Tom Keast (60 n.o.) safely steered Lincolnshire to 101 after 41 overs when were stumps were drawn at 5.15 p.m.
Nick Keast is stumped by Charlie Hood – photo taken by John Vandervord
Alfie Cooper takes evasive action when fielding close to the bat – photo by John Vandervord