Staffordshire rattled out as they suffer five-wicket defeat

Going into the 50-over game, both sides had won their opening fixtures but it was the men from East Anglia who headed home with the points yesterday.

Norfolk won the toss and put Staffs into bat on what proved to be a difficult deck for the home side to score on.

Openers Callum Hawkins and Zen Malik both got starts and,while progress was steady, they managed to put on 43 runs before Malik was caught off the bowling of Andy Hanby for 18. Skipper James Kettleborough did not trouble the scorers much as he trudged off soon afterwards, scoring just one from eight balls before he was caught off off the bowling of Brett Stolworthy.

Hawkins followed him back to the pavilion a short time later when he was trapped leg before by Joe Everett for 32 from 56 balls.

Michael Hill put up some resistance for Staffs with 24 off 57 balls as he looked to get his side back on to a firmer footing. However, Nils Priestley lasted just two balls for his four runs.

Reeve Evitts added 30 before he was bowled by Cameron Graveling and Matthew Morris put on another 13 before he was out lbw.

Liam Hurt’s 26 came at a pace of a run a ball and included a four and two sixes as he looked to give the home side some semblance of scoreboard respectability.

Hishaam Khan and Rory Haydon added four runs apiece before Haydon was last man out, leaving number 11 Tom Brett not out on nought as Staffs struggled to 157 all out.

Any hopes of a fightback were soon extinguished though when Norfolk’s openers put on 73 for the first wicket when captain Sam Arthurton was caught for 22 off the bowling of Brett.

Ben Wilcox’s patient 39 off 70 balls made the difference though as he guided his side to victory with more than 10 overs to spare as the visitors claimed a five -wicket victory.

Brett finished the pick of the Staffs bowlers with three wickets for 35 runs from his 10 overs.