Sam Arthurton's unbeaten half-century was a rare highlight for Norfolk as they started the season with a double defeat in their warm-up matches at the weekend.

Arthurton made 68no from 93 balls, including four fours, as Norfolk fell to a 70-run defeat in a rain-affected match against MCC Young Cricketers at Shenley, Hertfordshire, yesterday.

The MCC side racked up 268 for six from their 50 overs, with Australian Alex Ross smashing 109no. Paul Bradshaw was Norfolk's most successful bowler with two victims.

In reply, Norfolk lost two early wickets before Arthurton and Matthew Warnes (37) combined in a stand of 97.

Norfolk were on 156 for four from 37 overs when the match was halted and MCC won on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

On Saturday, Norfolk recovered from 90 for eight to post 164 for nine against Essex II at Bishop's Stortford.

Captain George Walker (34) and Bradshaw (34no) ensured a respectable total with a 69-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

Former Norfolk player Jaik Mickleburgh led the Essex reply with 58 as they eased to a seven-wicket win in the 41st over.

SCORECARDS

Essex II v Norfolk, Bishop's Stortford

Essex II won by 7 wkts

Norfolk

J M Spelman c Carpenter b Velani 23

+S K Gray c Das b Mills 1

S S Arthurton lbw b Chambers 1

T M Collishaw c Browne b Mills 4

L W Caswell c Das b Velani 15

A E Shearer lbw b Craddock 16

O P Stone c Browne b Joshi 0

*G W Walker c Chambers b Westley 34

C Brown lbw b Craddock 8

P J Bradshaw not out 34

M A Addison not out 3

Extras (lb 8 w 17) 25

Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 164

Fall: 1-7; 2-9; 3-18; 4-52; 5-60; 6-68; 7-77; 8-90; 9-159

Bowling: TS Mills 10-0-24-2, MA Chambers 9-1-24-1, KS Velani 9-0-36-2, P Joshi 9-2-14-1, TR Craddock 8-0-35-2, T Westley 5-0-23-1

Essex II

N L T Browne c Gray b Addison 35

*J C Mickleburgh c Gray b Caswell 58

T Westley run out (Arthurton/Caswell) 17

H D Ramsden not out 18

K S Velani not out 30

Extras (lb 1 w 4 nb 2) 7

Total (3 wkts, 40 3 overs) 165

Fall: 1-67; 2-107; 3-114

Bowling: PJ Bradshaw 7-1-23-0, OP Stone 6-0-47-0, MA Addison 10-1-18-1, GW Walker 3-0-16-0, LW Caswell 7.3-1-34-1, C Brown 7-2-26-0

MCC Young Cricketers v Norfolk, Shenley

MCCYC won by 70 runs (D/L method)

MCC Young Cricketers

H M Nicholls b Bradshaw 34

C P J Wootton c Gray b M W Warnes 22

+S S McKechnie st Gray b Caswell 42

B L Dougall c M W Warnes b Bradshaw 14

S W Poynter c Addison b Walker 1

A I Ross not out 109

J E Southgate b Spelman 31

*T P Lewis not out 4

Extras (lb 1 w 6 nb 4) 11

Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 268

Fall: 1-59; 2-63; 3-80; 4-82; 5-163; 6-238

Bowling: MW Warnes 7-1-31-1, PJ Bradshaw 10-0-36-2, MA Addison 10-0-65-0, GW Walker 7-0-35-1, LW Caswell 8-0-59-1, JM Spelman 8-0-41-1

Norfolk

J M Spelman b Lewis 12

+S K Gray c McKechnie b Paul 4

M R Warnes b Hose 37

S S Arthurton not out 68

T M Collishaw c Ross b Southgate 13

L W Caswell not out 0

Extras ( b 4 lb 4 w 8 nb 6) 22

Total (4 wkts, 37 overs) 156

Fall: 1-18; 2-18; 3-115; 4-155

Bowling: D Paul 8-0-31-1, TP Lewis 7-1-29-1, AJ Hose 7-0-31-1, AD Clarke 7-1-29-0, JE Southgate 8-0-28-1