A new initiative from the Norfolk Cricket Board is giving families and friends the chance to play the game on a whim.

As part of a drive to make cricket easy to access and safe to play as and when people want, the Board is working with the Blickling Estate, Eaton Park, Norwich and The Glide Surf School near Cromer Pier to provide people with the chance to hire a softball cricket set.

NCB Cricket Development Director Kieron Tuck said: 'It has been exciting to work on an innovative and ground-breaking participation project to offer people the chance to play cricket at some of the most well-known locations in the county.

'We hope that families and friends will want to hire these excellent sets for an hour or so to add something really fun and special to their day out.

'We'd like to thank the three venues involved for their engagement with this. I think they have realised that having this available adds more to their own visitor experience and we hope that this will prove successful for all parties.'

As one of the venues, the Blickling Estate welcomes cricket back to the Estate for the first time in nearly 150 years.

The first recorded game there was in 1787 but no more records exist of matches beyond 1871, so there is a chance for people to make some history.

Eaton Park is now in to a second year of the project with sets available from the pitch and putt kiosk.

The Glide Surf School based near Cromer Pier is the third option, offering the chance of a game of beach cricket in front of Cromer Pier on a sunny day.

The sets at all three venues are New Balance kits with plastic stumps, rubber balls and light plastic bats. They can be hired with a refundable deposit at all three locations.

In addition there is a feedback questionnaire for users of the kit to complete, which will enter them in to a prize draw to win a set of kit for themselves.

For more information see the Norfolk Cricket Board's official website (www.norfolkcricket.co.uk).

Swaffham booked their place in the final of the Dr Fisher Cup competition with a 43 run win over Dereham. They made 135-8 in their 20 overs before dismissing Dereham for 92 in 16.2 overs.