With the 2022 cricket season underway Cromer are looking forward to building on strong foundations throughout the club.

First team skipper Rob Purton has at his disposal a cadre of experienced veterans, with ex-Norfolk seamers Paul Bradshaw and Michael Warnes and batters Matthew Warnes, David Turner and Tom Davies lining up alongside the exciting young talents of Nat Laws, Cam Graveling and Sakhu Ndlela.

Gresham’s alumni Ndlela took the Alliance Premier by storm last season, reeling off three hundreds and bowling with high-octane pace, while left-armer Graveling played in all of Norfolk’s recent T20 series and looks set to make his Minor Counties 50-over competitive debut this season. Laws won the Jason Gillespe Medal in Adelaide Grade cricket during the winter and takes up the reigns as vice-captain this campaign.

Davies and Turner started the season at a gallop, Davies firing a 50 v Brooke and an unbeaten 98 against Downham Stow in Cromer’s ten-wicket waltz over the reigning champions, and although Turner’s second 50 of the summer came in a losing cause against Fakenham at the weekend, there’s no doubt that the Crabs have the experience in the ranks to challenge at the top of the table again this season.

Purton himself has been the star turn with the ball so far, a stunning 6-19 at Brooke sealing the points for Cromer in the opening game of the season, and his attack have eased into the season, with wickets for all the key men.

“This is my fifth season at Cromer, and I’ve got to say we have a great mix of youth and experience this season. It’s going to be an exciting division – already everyone has lost at least one game – but we have lots of lads in the team that can win us games of cricket, as Tom’s already proved this year.

“We came close last year, and probably should have won it, apart from a couple of horror days, and it has to be our ambition to challenge again this time round.”

Liam Davies’ Second eleven will be looking to add a bit of consistency to their league campaign in division three, and with two losses and a win so far should be equipped to stay in the division.

The highlight so far has been Gav Neale’s superb 110* at the weekend, and although it wasn’t quite enough to prevent a loss to a strong Downham Stow side, an excellent victory over Old Buckenham the week before shows what Davies’ men are capable of.