Mid Norfolk Sunday
Cricket League

ACRE JOINERY SPONSOR THE MID-NORFOLK SUNDAY CRICKET LEAGUE

The Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League is proud to announce that they will be sponsored by Acre Joinery Ltd of Alston Road, Norwich, NR6 5DS.

Announcing the sponsorship, Managing Director, David Maeer said, “My fellow Director, Kevin Grimmer and I are delighted to be working with the League and all it stands for in Sunday cricket. We have both loved the game for many years and Kevin is proud to have played most of his cricket in this League. It encourages youngsters into the game with a combination of ‘Youth and Experience’. It gives young cricketers the chance to showcase their talents in a competition that is not as fierce as the Saturday game. It’s a well managed League and we are proud to be associated with it. There is a distinct synergy here.”

League Chairman, Colin King reflecting upon the sponsorship said, “In my business life, I supplied the mainframe computers to the famous old Norwich joinery firm of Boulton and Paul. To do this I had to understand intimately how doors, windows and staircases etc., were made. I thought they were good - but then I visited the Acre Joinery factory and I realised that they were in a completely different league of their own. The quality of their work is truly breathtaking. Since Acre Joinery was established back in 1977, they have carved out a quality niche for themselves. Much of their work is bespoke and they specialise in listed buildings and conservation projects. They can produce or replicate anything in timber from basic joinery to the finished product."

King continued, “This sponsorship means that we can continue to grow and develop Sunday League cricket in Norfolk. I have so many plans and I am delighted that David and Kevin at Acre Joinery can see the potential and wish to share in it with us. This is a great day for Sunday cricket in Norfolk.”

BARNEY ARE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 2023

Barney won the League championship in the play-off final held at Horsford. They defeated a spirited Norwich side to become League Champions for the first time in their history.

On the way to becoming League Champions, Barney had to fight off strong competition from North Runcton. The battle went right down to the final League match. Barney emerged as winners of the Peter Parfitt Division by 22 points.

LOWESTOFT TOWN WIN THE BOYLE CHAMPIONSHIP

A strong Lowestoft team overcame a talented Old Buckenham side to win the Boyle Championship at the play-off final also held at Horsford.

NORWICH WIN THE DEREK COUSINS DIVISION

A talented Norwich side triumphed in the Derek Cousins Division against some very big names. They won the division by 36 points.

OLD BUCKENHAM WERE CONVINCING WINNERS OF THE BURGESS SHIELD DIVISION

A powerful Old Buckenham side powered to the championship of the Burgess Shield Division. They won the division by a substantial 49 points.

LOWESTOFT TOWN WIN THE R J BIDEWELL DIVISION

Demonstrating their resurgence, Lowestoft Town fought off strong competition from Saxlingham to become winners of the R J Bidewell Division by a margin of 38 points.

DOWNHAM STOW EMERGE AS WINNERS OF THE KEVIN GRIMMER DIVISION

Against strong competition from Narborough and North Runcton A, Downham Stow held their nerve and claimed the Kevin Grimmer Division championship by a margin of 25 points.

NORWICH STAY STRONG TO DEFEAT A DANGEROUS SWAFFHAM SIDE

Norwich overcame a powerful Swaffham side in the final of the Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League’s Broke Cup Final.

Swaffham won the toss and elected to bowl.

After taking three Norwich wickets before only 5 runs were on the board and reducing them to 78 for 5, Swaffham looked set for a successful day. There was an excited buzz going around the ground.

However, it took a determined 39 n.o. by former Norfolk fast bowler, Aaron Watson who, together with Luc Brister 20, put on a 9th wicket partnership of 53 runs that swung the match.

The only other significant Norwich performances, with the bat, came from Buzz Kemp 30 and Steven Clarke 26.

The Norwich innings closed at 175 for 9.

Swaffham’s outstanding bowler was Jack (Denzie) Dennis who took 3 for 39 in his 8 overs. He was ably assisted by Joe Friend 2 for 10

In reply Swaffham lost a couple of early wickets before skipper Liam Exley steadied the innings with a well crafted and determined top score of 34. Frustratingly for him wickets kept falling at the other end, just as things were looking up.

Swaffham were eventually dismissed for 92 runs.

The pick of the Norwich bowling was Luc Brister who took 4 for 20 and the formidable Aaron Watson whose miserly performance produce 1 wicket for just 5 runs off 7 overs.

After the final, Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League Chairman, Colin King, observed, “There could only be one Man of the Match and that was Aaron Watson. It was not just for his bowling which restricted Swaffham and thereby put additional pressure on their batting. But when he came to the wicket with just 83 runs on the board, Norwich were looking down the barrel of a humiliating defeat. His batting, quite simply, changed the course of the match.”

King concluded by saying, “This was a wonderful day’s cricket. The weather was kind to us and the Sprowston Cricket Ground never looked better. My thanks go to Phil Dix and his team for hosting us all so splendidly. The perfect end to a perfect day.”

POWERFUL SNETTISHAM OVERCOME LAST YEAR’S WINNERS TO WIN CUP

A strong Snettisham side powered to victory over Aylsham St Giles, last year’s winners, to win the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup.

An impressive all round team effort ensured that Snettisham could get their hands on the cup with a victory margin of 58 runs.

Aylsham St Giles won the toss and elected to field. It looked as though this could have been a good decision because they dismissed the formidable Lewis Jeavons cheaply with the score on just 18. However, a partnership of 66 between opener Ryan Twiddy 25 and top scorer Jack Johnson 42 was followed by a sparkling innings from James Hearmon 39, which included 4 sixes. This left Snettisham on a competitive 152 for 6 from their allotted 16 x eight ball overs.

There were two smart stumping by Andy Prescott and two fine catches from Zack Davies and Jakir Hussain.

The pick of the Aylsham St Giles bowling were Rejwan Rifath, 2 for 17 and Shahidur (Simon) Rahman 2 for 20.

In reply, Aylsham St Giles lost an early wicket but started brightly. Opener Andy Prescott 26 played intelligently as he fought to hold the Aylsham innings together. Sadly for them, the curse that has dogged Aylsham St Giles for much of this season reoccurred. They had a middle order collapse of 5 wickets for just 14 runs. After that it was always going be a tough ask to get anywhere near the Snettisham score. Iqbal Hussain Sufian 20 did his best to keep his side's hopes alive but in the end succumbed with the final score on 94 all out.

The outstanding Snettisham bowlers were, Dan Coggan 4 for 12 and Damien Twiddy 2 for 30.

In the field there as an outstanding catch by Ryan Twiddy, who also took another catch and grabbed a smart run out.

The Man of the Match and winner of the £300 bespoke cricket bats, courtesy of Hunts County Bats, was James Hearmon for his memorable all round performance: 39 with the bat, 1 for 7 in two overs when bowling and 3 excellent catches.

After the match, Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League chairman, Colin King, said, “This was a hard fought match played in exactly the right spirit. In my mind I shall long remember seeing the outfield performance of Lewis Jeavons because he moves like a panther in pursuit of the ball, followed by a powerful return.”

Reflecting on the match, King observed, “It was an outstanding performance by Snettisham and the fact that there was a middle order collapse from Aylsham St Giles had more to do with the quality of the bowling than any deficiencies in the Aylsham batting.

King added, “This was a perfect day for cricket. The sun shone and Horsford never looked better; they looked after us well. It was a fitting end to an excellent season."”

BARNEY BEAT A SPIRITED THETFORD IN THE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

A fine all round performance from a talented Barney side saw them subdue a spirited and capable Thetford. Barney won by just 23 runs to win the Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League’s Challenge Cup.

Barney won the toss and elected to bat, only to lose one of their star batsmen with the first ball of the match. This was followed by a sparkling stand of 78 between Phoenix Sherry 30 and Jasper Payne 40, which included three massive sixes. Aaron Howell chipped in with a very significant 29 towards the end of the innings.

The bowling for Thetford was a true team effort. Liam Conroy 3 for 23 was the outstanding performer but James Baulch 2 for 39, Craig Baulch 2 for 24 and Chris Cooper 2 for 30 together managed to restrict a formidable Barney to just 176 all out.

In reply, Thetford looked as though they would be able to overhaul Barney’s below par score. The top six batsmen all reached double figures with Alistair Newey who was smartly run out by Aaron Howell when he was on 31. Other notable contributions were made by Bashir (Bash) Jabbarkhail 30, from 29 balls, and Q Khan 20.

But then the bowling of Barney put a tight squeeze on the tail which meant that the last 5 wickets fell for just 16 runs. The outstanding performers were Aaron Riseborough 2 for 21, Tom King 2 for 23 and Liam Riseborough 2 for 25. Thetford were all out for 156.

There was an outstanding catch taken by Jasper Payne to dismiss the Thetford captain, James Baulch. Jasper, who throws himself in his cricket with true ‘gusto’, sustained a serious injury to his right hand and had to be taken to hospital.

After the Final, Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League Chairman, Colin King, said, “Jasper’s injury put a bit of a dampener on what had been a riveting afternoon of outstanding cricket. The Sprowston pitch was true and provided something for everyone. If seeing sixes being hit is what you're after, then Barney served up six of the best. Thetford, not to be outdone, smote 4 sixes of their own. It was a fascinating duel between two well matched sides.”

King concluded, “Sprowston is a lovely intimate ground and they looked after us all, players and crowd, very well. My thanks go to Phil Dix and Chairman Sudy Trevedi."

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