Norfolk Under-15s were beaten by Hampshire in the semi-finals of the ECB national competition at Oakham School in Leicestershire yesterday.

Matthew Taylor took two for 32 as Hampshire posted 229 for seven, but Norfolk were all out for 163 in reply.

They will now face a third-place play-off against Buckinghamshire today.

The side had warmed up for the tournament by beating Cumbria, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to win the Oxford Cricket Festival last week.

Cameron Down picked up the best bowler of the week award after taking 12 wickets, including five for 56 against Gloucestershire. Kieran Pask scored 220 runs in four innings, while Christopher Greenslade and Sam Hunt both scored two half-centuries.

On Sunday, Callum Taylor made 119no in a five-wicket friendly win against Northamptonshire.

n Norfolk Under-12s were joint winners of the Ipswich Building Society Minor Counties tournament held at Royal Hospital School, Ipswich, last week.

Norfolk's opening match against Lincolnshire was cancelled after poor weather and a friendly Twenty20 match was played in the evening.

Positive batting from Alfie Cooper, Luke Marchant, Oscar Binny and Matthew Bint saw Norfolk to a total of 102 for nine. Wickets fell regularly in the Lincs reply as George Angier claimed three for 19, while Robert Baker kept wicket impressively. Lincs were bowled out in the 15th over for 61.

Norfolk faced Cleveland on the second day and were put into bat. Stephen Moyse (31) and Kieran Peters (36) put on 51 together and Cooper added 30no as Norfolk made 171 for five from 40 overs.

Cleveland were then all out for 45 with Peters taking four for 14 and two wickets each for Angier and Binny.

The next fixture was against Holland and was played on an artificial wicket after more rain, with the match reduced to 35 overs each.

Holland were dismissed for 87 in the 34th over, Marchant finishing with three for seven with two wickets each for Binny, Andrew Carver and Moyse.

Peters then hit 34 as Norfolk won by six wickets with four overs to spare.

More rain meant the penultimate match against Cumbria was a 25-over contest.

Binny fired 51 in Norfolk's 112 for seven, before Carver produced a stunning spell of four for five as Cumbria were restricted to 86 for nine.

Norfolk played Northumberland in their final match, with Moyse (53no) hitting his maiden half-century in a total of 151 for five.

Leg spinner Carver again did the damage for Norfolk, taking five for 17 from nine overs as Northumberland were bowled out for 80.

After five wins, Norfolk were named as joint winners with Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

n Norfolk Under-19s beat a Hertfordshire Development XI by four wickets at Great Witchingham last Thursday.

The visitors chose to bat first and made 229 for nine from 50 overs, with Fakenham's James Moy taking four for 46.

Lewis Denmark (66) and Tom Collishaw (51) guided Norfolk towards victory, which was completed with six overs remaining.