Norfolk celebrating Anglian League double over old rivals Suffolk
The Norfolk second team pictured at Woodbridge on Sunday (from left to right). Ian Rollett, Darren Abbs, Shaun Larkins, David Clarke, Dylan Green, Matthew Craske, Craig Spurr, Jake Keeley and County vice president Chris Taylor. Picture: Norfolk CGU - Credit: Archant
Norfolk kept their cool in a tense finish to beat old rivals Suffolk 7-5 in their second Anglian League fixture of the season at Sheringham.
The outcome was very much in the balance as the final three singles matches headed for their conclusion - but the hosts won two of them and halved the other to get their campaign up and running.
Norfolk, who suffered a narrow defeat against Northamptonshire at King's Lynn in their opening fixture, moved up to second in the table as a result of Sunday's win, and captain Kevin Webb is hoping his team can now launch a title challenge.
'We should have just about our strongest side for our next fixture at Leicestershire and Rutland (on July 2), with both Jack Yule and Toby Briggs available to play,' he said. 'If we can win that one we will be in a strong positon and we will certainly go down there with plenty of confidence.
'There is a great spirit in the team at the moment and you could see that on Sunday when we came through a really tough match.'
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The morning foursomes set the tone for a keenly-contested match, with Norfolk battling hard to go into lunch with a 2½-1½ advantage.
Richard Wilson and James Flesher won 2&1 and Jack Yule and Thomas Nudd 3&2, while Simon Clark and Iain Yule recorded a half and Jamie Smith and Warren Bates lost one down.
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In the afternoon Norfolk took the honours 4½-3½, but only after the three players bringing up the rear played their part. Smith won 1 up, Iain Yule 2&1 and Clark got half, while earlier there had been wins for Nudd (2&1) and Flescher (6&5). The Norfolk players to lose were Jack Yule (1 down), Wilson (3&2) and Bates (3&2).
It was a good weekend all round for Norfolk, with the county's second team launching an excellent fightback to beat their Suffolk counterparts 6½-5½ at Woodbridge.
Ian Rollett's side found themselves 3½-½ down after the foursomes but they dominated after lunch to claim a win to go with their draw with Northants in their opening fixture, which was also away from home. Representing Norfolk were Rollett, Darren Abbs, Shaun Larkins, David Clarke, Dylan Green, Matthew Craske, Craig Spurr and Jake Keeley.