Sheringham Cricket Club's U13 side did Norfolk proud this week as they beat opposition from Hertfordshire and Essex to take a big step towards being recognised as the best U13 side in the country.

Sheringham Cricket Club's U13 side did Norfolk proud this week as they beat opposition from Hertfordshire and Essex to take a big step towards being recognised as the best U13 side in the country.

They now move on to the finals of the MCC Spirit of Cricket U13 National Club Championship at Oakham, Leicestershire, where they will hope to beat the top teams from other regions. It is a 20-over competition and the winning captain will lift the Ken Barrington Cup.

Sheringham U13 travelled to Bishops Stortford to play in the regional finals. Their first game was against the Essex winners Wanstead.

Sheringham were put in to bat. Opening pair H Blackiston (18) and F Sutton (15) got off to a flying start. After 11 overs they were 58-1, C Taylor (23) helped the score tick over. After some tight bowling Wanstead held Sheringham to a competitive total of 92-6.

Sheringham's bowlers started well, but after losing an early wicket Wanstead looked in control and after 10 overs they were 53-1.

Spinners Sheridan and Esse, then slowed the Wanstead run rate down, but they still looked in total control needing 15 off five overs with five wickets in hand.

After some crucial wickets from Taylor and Lomax, F Hanson-Smith stepped up to bowl the last over with Wanstead needing just three runs to win. A mix-up between the final Essex pair ended with a superb run-out from Agnew to complete a remarkable victory taking Sheringham in to the final.

There, Letchworth - the Hertfordshire champions - elected to bat and progressed to 70-1 off 10 overs with some big hitting.

Sheringham showed remarkable character and fielded themselves back in to the game, bowling Letchworth out for 83 in the 16th over, taking their last nine wickets for just 13 runs, Taylor finished with figures of 4-7.

After an early run-out, Sheringham batted sensibly against some hostile bowling, O Sutton (31 not out) guided the Norfolk champions to victory, well supported by his team-mates and they were deservedly crowned the East of England champions.