In a match reduced to 45 overs per side, due to wet weather, Cromer won the toss and elected to bat, on a damp track that seemed to suit the bowlers. Cromer's captain Tom Davies had the confidence in his batsmen to set a decent total.
Openers Rayno Arendse and Richard Charlwood started confidently and played some tremendous shots, on what seemed like a bowler’s paradise. Arendse and Charlwood put on an opening partnership of 60 in 15 overs before Charlwood was dismissed leg before to Todd for 13. At this point Arendse was five short of his 50. The Cromer overseas reached his half century off 58 balls, hitting 7 fours and 2 sixes in the process.
Arendse was batting with freedom and class, showing a full array of shots, and he was easing his way towards his hundred. The South African got to his his century from 118 deliveries, though in the meantime Dean Elliott and Colin Brown were both back in the pavilion. And Arendse was dismissed eight balls later after a sparkling 108 of 126 balls. A fantastic display of batting had moved Cromer onto 158 for 4.
Seven overs remained after Arendse’s dismissal, and despite three quick wickets, 25 from Tom Davies and 15 not out from Michael Warnes saw Cromer post a very competitive score of 191 for 7 from their 45 overs. The Cromer batsmen proved that skipper Davies was correct to show faith and confidence in his men to post a competitive total.
Barnard was the pick of the Downham bowlers finishing 3 for 52 off his 12 overs.
It was now the turn of the Cromer bowlers to use the damp wicket to their advantage, in a way that the Downham attack failed to do, and Michael Warnes made a breakthrough in the first over of the Downham innings, bowling Al. Stuart for 0.
Some very tight bowling from Warnes and Arendse restricted the home side to 51 for 4 after 20 overs. This spell saw the Downham pro Phangiso out for a duck after a superb diving catch from Charlwood off the bowling of Warnes.
Jez Wright and Colin Brown maintained the high standard of bowling during their spells, with Wright finishing with best figures of 3 wickets for 18 runs from his 12 overs, and Brown snaring the crucial wicket of Lanchester, who had contributed 23 to the Downham score. By this time the brilliant bowling from the Cromer attack had forced the reigning champions to try and bat out for a losing draw. Tullett finished 24 not out as they ended 107 for 8 from their 45 overs.
Fantastic bowling all round from the Cromer players, with Warnes also taking three wickets for 25 runs, finished off a superb performance from all the Cromer side, playing conditions perefectly with both bat and ball, and were dominant throughout the game.
This result moved Cromer to the top of the Alliance Premier Division.