NCB Saturday Cricket League starts with rain-affected weekend

Competitive cricket returned to West Norfolk - but predictably so did the rain on the opening weekend of the NCB Saturday League.

No local game in this new competition – which was instigated when coronavirus hit the regular season – was completed apart from North Runcton’s win at Cromer, thanks to Ben Coote’s ton.

Also in Group 1, Lloyd Marshall struck 34 off 34 balls and rescued Fakenham as the senior partner of a ninth-wicket stand of 42 with David Coyle (10) against Downham Town/Stow.

Fakenham fell from 53-1 to 136-8 while Dom Corbett took four wickets in eight overs.

The visitors posted 178 all out before the rain fell with their local rivals marooned on 27-1, with Marshall bagging the only wicket, that of F Fairey.

Ben Lucas hit seven fours and Adam Rose five boundaries in an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 106 for Thornham 2nds at Saham Toney 2nds in Group 17.

Meanwhile, quick scorer Jasper Payne smashed 46 off just 25 balls to propel Swaffham to a six-wicket triumph at North Runcton, who compiled 100-7 from their 30 overs in the pick of the friendlies.

Opener Jordan Twiddy anchored the Swaffham reply with 19 not out from 47 balls while Payne struck five fours and three sixes before being dismissed by Runcton’s Owen White just before the end.

Luke Caswell fell a run short of a ton and hit 12 fours plus a six, but could not prevent Fakenham going down to a narrow revised target 11-run defeat to visitors Norwich Hockey CC, who posted 208-6. Caswell, who was caught off his 88th ball, put on exactly 100 with Alex Walpole for the fourth wicket in this Sunday friendly.

Only two of the Denver batting order reached double figures, with number nine top-scorer S Eaves preventing a rout, due to tight Stow bowling as the visitors claimed bragging derby rights in a 47-run victory.

Stow tweeted: “Today a Sunday side that has only three players over the age of 16 recorded a win against @DenverCricket. Batting first we scored 164-9 and in reply Denver were 117-7. Contributions came from all our junior players with bat or ball! Really great to see their progress.”