Again winning the toss, skipper Van Greuning listened to his experienced players and chose to bowl first on a track that was damp and green.
From the off this looked the right decision, as the wicket proved to be indifferent in pace and bounce. Union struggled to make headway but, to their credit, batted with grit and determination in taking more runs off the Cromer attack than any othere team had managed so far this season.
Unions’ opener retired injured, just as he was starting to hit the bowling about, and on a day when Cromer’s fielders looked bewildered as chance after chance refused to go to hand, it was not until Van Greuning (catch) and Battrick ( direct hit run out ) removed the remaining top order that Cromer felt that a wicket would ever fall - despite the misgivings about the track.
From 89 for 2 from 30 overs, Union compiled another 70 runs from the last 15, with Craske, Webster and Taylor all picking up two wickets. But at tea Cromer knew that 160 was going to be a tough target to reach.
Turner and Lithins, in customary style, put on 46 before Lithins retired with a hamstring injury. Turner soon followed, dragging a short ball into his stumps.
Barrett and Gavin Neale then joined forces and looked so comfortable that it seemed the win was a formality, until Barrett was caught, Neale was bowled and Cromer were suddenly a nervy 96 for 4.
Charlie Webster, making a welcome debut for Cromer, and Battrick then took the score on to 121 before Battrick fell lbw.
Lithins returned with a runner and, despite the confusion this always causes to runners, fielders and umpires (or maybe because of it...) the pair took the score to a tantalisingly close 153 for 5, but the game was not yet over. Skipper Van Greuning struck 2 runs before falling lbw, Webster was ct & bld with the score now on 157.
The stage was set for Alex Craske to prove his nerve, and with three needed from three balls he launched one over slip to the third man boundary. He and Dave Green set off for the remaining runs with Green, though not having faced a ball, diving full length to beat the returning throw and secure the win.
The last time skipper Van Greuning was this nervous, he was watching John Terry step up to take a penalty in Moscow. And, of course, he was lucky enough to celebrate a win then too.