Norfolk ladies battled on in East Region County Match Week at West Herts with more players struck by the sickness bug. But despite their fighting spirit they could not prevent a 6�-2� defeat at the hands of Essex.

Norfolk ladies battled on in East Region County Match Week at West Herts with more players struck by the sickness bug.

But despite their fighting spirit they could not prevent a 6�-2� defeat at the hands of Essex. In today's final match Norfolk will be going all out for a win against Suffolk in a bid to finish third.

But county captain Nickie Clarke has to hope that no more of her players succumb to the bug. Yesterday Amber Ratcliffe was unable to play at all and both Edwina Gold and Amy Skoulding felt unwell. Only Karen Young and Debbie Ogaard-Nielsen have so far been unaffected. Meanwhile the squad has been reduced by the departure of Rebecca Heeles, who has returned home because of exam commitments.

In yesterday's match Norfolk were trailing from the start, with just one half point from the three morning singles - and that was well fought by Young and Ogaard-Nielsen.

In the afternoon Gold secured a point on the last hole when she won her match one up. Skoulding played in the afternoon but was clearly unwell and lost her game.

County champion Jennifer Hide, who has impressed in her first county match week, managed a half, as did Young, who came back from three down with three to play to square her game.

Foursomes: Sammy Martin (Royal Norwich) and Edwina Gold (Eaton) lost to Danielle Anderson and Daisy Dyer 8/7; Amy Skoulding (King's Lynn) and Jennifer Hide (Royal Norwich) lost to Nicole Shaw and Amanda Hartman 4/3; Karen Young (Eaton) & Debbie Ogaard-Nielsen (Eaton) halved with Kelly Martin and Sam Lovell. Singles: Martin lost to Charlotte Thompson 7/6; Gold beat Hartman 1 up; Skoulding lost to Shaw 4/3; Hide halved with Martin; Ogaard-Nielsen lost to Anderson 3/2; Young halved with Laura Cutler

Points: Herts 4, Essex 3, Beds 2, Norfolk 1�, Cambs & Hunts 1�, Suffolk 0.