KEITH PEEL Big-hitting Tom Watson has produced some of the most spectacular batting ever seen in Norfolk club cricket. He hammered an unbeaten 227 for village team Ashmanhaugh, with no fewer than 194 of the runs coming in boundaries.

KEITH PEEL

Big-hitting Tom Watson has produced some of the most spectacular batting ever seen in Norfolk club cricket. He hammered an unbeaten 227 for village team Ashmanhaugh, with no fewer than 194 of the runs coming in boundaries. They included 15 sixes, eight of them (four in one over) coming off successive scoring shots. “He also hit 26 fours in what was an amazing innings,” said Ashmanhaugh's Rod Gant after the Mid-Norfolk Sunday League Cup match against Barney. “He put on 152 for the second wicket with Bernie Everett, who made 47, as we amassed 351 for three.

“Barney never looked like challenging such a large total and were all out for 166. Carl Shepherd bagged three for 37 with his seam bowling and Carl Spelman, a fellow 16-year-old, took two for 33 with his spin.”

Overseas players, meanwhile, featured high among the Bob Carter Cup opening round honours.

They included Khaqan Arsal, from Pakistan, who cracked 117 not out in Old Buckenham's eight-wicket defeat of Topcroft.

Mike Smith scored 84 and fellow South African Justin Granger took four wickets in Fakenham's 96-run victory over Cromer. Paul Dunger (120 not) and Adam Woodhouse, with four wickets, were Fakenham's other key performers, while Chris Carey hit 94 not out for Cromer.

Zimbabwean international Gavin Ewing scored 169 not out for Beccles at Great Melton, where he clinched a seven-wicket win with a six.

The innings overshadowed a maiden century for 18-year-old Jonny Cooper of Melton, whose 118 included 16 fours and two sixes.

Rising star fast bowler Bud Bailey took three for 14, while Ian Tufts hit 54 not out, as holders Swardeston beat Saham Toney by nine wickets.

Norfolk's three other East Anglian Premier League teams are also through, although Norwich were given a scare before overcoming Mattishall.

Set a 251-run target, the Alliance Division Two team reached a richly promising 147 for two at the halfway stage of their innings, but were eventually bowled out 27 runs short.

Skipper Neil Lockwood, who top scored with 82, said: “Taking a team of the calibre of Norwich to the wire was a tremendous achievement for our young side.”

Horsford beat Downham, while Vauxhall Mallards won by 129 runs against Diss after posting 310 for eight, with Peter Free scoring 130.

The 16 teams going into the hat for Friday's (6.30pm) second round draw on BBC Radio Norfolk are: Beccles, Bradenham, Brooke, Dereham, Dersingham, Fakenham, Great Witchingham, Horsford, Lowestoft, Norwich, North Runcton, Norwich & Coltishall Wanderers, Old Buckenham, Swaffham, Swardeston and Vauxhall Mallards.