Norfolk dominated the first day of their final Manor Park fixture of the season.Having dismissed Hertfordshire in double quick time for 175 they saw another century opening stand from Carl Rogers and Carl Amos help them to close only 21 runs behind at 155-for-two to leave themselves well placed to build a substantial first innings lead this morning.

Norfolk dominated the first day of their final Manor Park fixture of the season.

Having dismissed Hertfordshire in double quick time for 175 they saw another century opening stand from Carl Rogers and Carl Amos help them to close only 21 runs behind at 155-for-two to leave themselves well placed to build a substantial first innings lead this morning.

Norfolk made just one enforced change with Swardeston's Will Rist making his county debut in place of wicket-keeper Luke Newton, who was playing for the England Deaf XI .

Captain Carl Rogers won the toss for the first time in a festival match and, with the suggestion of some early morning moisture still in the wicket, invited Hertfordshire to bat.

Hertfordshire openers Steven Cordingley and Nick Lamb made a cautious start against the Norfolk pace attack of Ian Slegg and Michael Eccles. Lamb in particular found it hard to get the ball away and had contributed just three to an opening stand of 26 when he was bowled by Slegg.

Four overs later the Fakenham paceman bowled Cordingley for 22, thus bringing to the crease David Ward - one of the great entertainers in Minor Counties cricket.

Ward, traditionally a heavy scorer against Norfolk, took a while to get into this stride as he lost partners either side of lunch. First Andy Lewis was lbw to Eccles for 14, then Ben Frazer was bowled by George Walker for 40, having helped add 69 for the fourth wicket.

Norfolk now needed the prize scalp of Ward and it was not long in coming. Off-spinner Chris Brown was again the man to do the trick, having the Hertfordshire dangerman well caught on the long on boundary by Eccles for 55 at 146-for-five.

This signalled the collapse of the visiting batting as spinners Brown and Walker proceeded to remove the last six Hertfordshire batsmen for 29 runs, leaving the visitors to claim just a single batting point after being dismissed for 175 in one ball over 65 overs.

Brown again led the way with another four wicket haul.

In reply, the two Carls, Rogers and Amos got the Norfolk innings off to a brisk start, sharing in yet another three-figure partnership. Rogers was first out, bowled for 78 by Frazer with the partnership worth 147.

The Norfolk captain had hit eight boundaries and, in doing so, completed a half century of half centuries for Norfolk.

As so often happens, the fall of one wicket was to be quickly followed by the fall of another, Amos being possibly unlucky to be given out lbw to Frazer for 61 with the score at 150.

With just 20 minutes remaining consolidation became the name of the game with James Spellman and Trevor Ward able to comfortably to bat out the final seven overs.