Cricket title decided

Published: 8:24 AM February 21, 2008 Updated: 9:25 PM February 19, 2021

Cromer's indoor cricketers clinched the North Walsham Indoor Cricket League Division One championship on Sunday with a convincing win over rival contenders Aldborough.

Amies (17) and Payne (30 not out) got Aldborough off to a steady, if unspectacular start, 55 runs coming from the first five overs. This should have been the launch pad for a large total, but wickets then fell regularly, the impetus of the innings lost.

Yarham (17) and Holmes (13) played bit-parts, but only 95 runs came from 10 overs, Buck taking two scalps for Cromer.

The leaders stuttered in reply, losing Brown and Liam Davies cheaply, but Tom Davies (28 not out) and Buck (26 not out) led them to a three-wicket win with five deliveries unused.

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The resurgent Vipers won again, this time with a 29-run victory over Sheringham. Hard-hitting from Watson (34) and Purton (35) set up a 127 total, with Blake's useful 21 pushing them past the bonus point. Taylor took 2-20 bowling for Sheringham.

At 53-1 off five overs, Sheringham were in with good winning chances, but wickets tumbled as the required run-rate soared. Smith (27) and Hudson (26) top-scored, but Purton's two wickets swung the game Vipers' way, Sheringham 98 all out.

The remaining matches on Sunday will decide which team are the league runners-up, with all three sides still mathematically in with a chance.

In Division Two, Worstead finally won their first game of 2008. Flanaghan's 25 not out and Fisher's 19 saw five-man Aldborough A post an under-par target of 85-3.

Despite a good start - and with the score on 38, Eagleton hit the ball over the penalty line prompting an all too familiar collapse, Worstead losing five wickets for just 30 runs.

However the last remaining batsman, Toll (42 not out), kept his nerve to see his side home with four balls left in a tense finale.

Last on was the Happisburgh club, the Colts playing the Seniors in a much-anticipated derby match.

Wilson (24) and Allen (30 not out) built a good platform, but the crucial dismissal of Catchpole and two dozy run-outs saw the Seniors set the Colts just 106 to win.

Colts batted with unusual urgency and steely determination, Jeary and M Woolston both making 25 not out. Fighting back, the Seniors took two quick wickets which gave them hope, but needing only 12 runs from the final 12 deliveries, tail-enders Brady and Baldwin saw the Colts score a much-celebrated victory over their more experienced team-mates.

Fixtures, February 24: 9.30 Cromer v Vipers; 10.30 Aldborough v Sheringham; 11.30 Aldborough A v Worstead (cup preliminary match).

The draw for the cup matches (to be played on Sunday, March 2): 9.30 Sheringham v Aldborough A or Worstead; 10.30 Aldborough v Happisburgh Colts; 11.30 Happisburgh v Vauxhall Vipers; 12.30 Cromer v Bradfield.

The winners of these matches will go into the cup semi-finals, the losers into the plate semi-finals.