Norfolk Under-12s showed the future of the county team is in safe hands by winning the Minor Counties Festival at the Royal Hospital School at Holbrook for only the third time.

They came through a tough week's cricket in hot conditions with an unbeaten record, Edward Jay (182) and Arthur Wilcox (164) starring with the bat and Harvey Moody (7-54) and Enoch Uthayarajan (7-107) with the ball.

Norfolk started brightly with a victory over Lincolnshire despite being asked to bat on a rain affected wicket. The runs were shared around before some excellent bowling from Jamie Granville (3-29), Uthayarajan (2-10), Campbell Tillcock (1-16) and Harvey Moody (1-24) saw Norfolk home in the 37th over.

After more overnight rain Norfolk found themselves out in the middle against Cleveland perhaps earlier than they would have liked and only made 49 in the first 20 overs. However, runs for Jay (63), Elliott Hart (56 not out) and skipper Wilcox (40 not out) helped the score rattle along to 231 before Norfolk declared. Cleveland were in no mood to chase and despite some attacking fields Norfolk had to settle for a draw as their opponents closed on 128-4.

Against a previously unbeaten Netherlands the seamers turned on the style, ripping through the entire team inside 21 overs, bowling them out for 48 with for Hart (3-13), Wilcox (2-7), Trent Stoltz (2-10) and the consistent Tillcock (2-14) doing the damage. Norfolk slipped to 39-5 in reply but Wilcox saw his team home.

Cumbria were also eyeing top spot on day four and were asked to bat by Norfolk. They closed on a below par 154-6 with off-spinner Moody taking 3-9 from eight overs and Uthayarajan 2-44. In reply Wilcox, opening for the first time, made an excellent 79 after sharing a partnership of 98 with Flynn Crosthwaite (24) to set Norfolk on the road to a comfortable victory.

Norfolk knew a win against Oxfordshire on the final day would be enough to secure overall success.

An outstanding maiden century from Jay provided the foundations for another big score with Hart (34 not out) and Stoltz (30) providing support as Norfolk amassed 245 before declaring.

That proved more than enough, with Norfolk clinching victory in the first of the extra overs provided by the declaration.