Norfolk Cricket Festival gets underway at Sprowston new home
Norfolk take on Herfordshire, starting on Sunday (11am), in the NCCA Championship.
The county have settled in well to their new home, following the relocation from Manor Park in April, with an increase in attendances for the white-ball games as well as gaining quite a few new members. The new venue has been well received by visiting counties and officials who have been very complimentary in their feedback.
The festival will be the same format that has served Norfolk well for many years with the hospitality marquee and members' tents in place. This year's event has the added benefit of hosting Kent in the ECB showcase match on Monday August 4. Previously this showcase fixture, which has been played against both Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire, has taken place prior to the festival. It will be the first time that a first-class county has played at Sprowston and will be a proud day for the club.
Callum Metcalf is unavailable for three-day fixtures due to work commitments, and it gives Norfolk the opportunity to hand a debut to Jonah Wicks who is another product from the Norfolk Cricket Foundation's County Age Group programme.
Great Witchingham's Wicks fully deserves his chance after scoring his maiden EAPL century at the end of June and following up with 85 last Saturday in the defeat to Frinton. Hami Qadri, who has made a strong impact with his right off break bowling in white-ball cricket for Norfolk, had more success at Derbyshire and Kent in the longer format and Norfolk will be hoping he can be a key player for them in the championship.
Norfolk will be keen to start the festival with a win as they look to mount a promotion challenge with a return to Division One the target.
Head coach Tom New said: "We have been a little bit inconsistent so far this season and after excellent wins against Hertfordshire and Suffolk in the T20 competition we were poor against Cambridgeshire last time out.
"The championship requires a different set of skills, and I am sure we have the players to produce some top-class performances. There is a good blend of youth and experience in the side. The younger players have been developing well over the last two or three years. It is great to be able to blood another one in Jonah and I am looking forward to the three-day campaign with great optimism.'
Norfolk have already played Hertfordshire at Sprowston, in the T20 competition when they won both games last month.
The Stags will provide tough opposition and have named a strong side, including three players who have played for professional counties in the last few seasons. Nico Reifer was released by Surrey last year after making 21 first XI appearances, Callum Taylor, the former Glamorgan all-rounder played 34 first team games, which included a century against Northamptonshire on his first-class debut, and Archie Harrison appeared once in the Derbyshire first team.
Teams
Norfolk: Sam Arthurton (cpt), Ethan Metcalf, Ben Wilcox, Alfie Cooper, Charlie Hood (wkt), Arthur Wilcox, Jonah Wicks, Hami Qadri, Joe Everett, Brett Stolworthy, Andy Hanby.
Hertfordshire: Dom Chatfield, Archie Harrison, Callum Taylor, Nico Reifer, Ben Clifford, David Burnell, Andrew Neal, Benji Cowell (wkt), Jack Plom, Chinmay Mallapudi, Ben Waring (cpt). 12th man Nafis Shaikh.
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Norfolk Cricket Festival gets underway at Sprowston new home
Sprowston CC's Barkers Lane ground hosts the Norfolk Cricket Festival for the first time this weekend. Norfolk take on Herfordshire, starting on Sunday (11am), in the NCCA Championship. The county have settled in well to their new home, following the relocation from Manor Park in April, with an increase in attendances for the white-ball games as well as gaining quite a few new members. The new venue has been well received by visiting counties and officials who have been very complimentary in their feedback. The festival will be the same format that has served Norfolk well for many years with the hospitality marquee and members' tents in place. This year's event has the added benefit of hosting Kent in the ECB showcase match on Monday August 4. Previously this showcase fixture, which has been played against both Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire, has taken place prior to the festival. It will be the first time that a first-class county has played at Sprowston and will be a proud day for the club. Callum Metcalf is unavailable for three-day fixtures due to work commitments, and it gives Norfolk the opportunity to hand a debut to Jonah Wicks who is another product from the Norfolk Cricket Foundation's County Age Group programme. Great Witchingham's Wicks fully deserves his chance after scoring his maiden EAPL century at the end of June and following up with 85 last Saturday in the defeat to Frinton. Hami Qadri, who has made a strong impact with his right off break bowling in white-ball cricket for Norfolk, had more success at Derbyshire and Kent in the longer format and Norfolk will be hoping he can be a key player for them in the championship. Norfolk will be keen to start the festival with a win as they look to mount a promotion challenge with a return to Division One the target. Head coach Tom New said: "We have been a little bit inconsistent so far this season and after excellent wins against Hertfordshire and Suffolk in the T20 competition we were poor against Cambridgeshire last time out. "The championship requires a different set of skills, and I am sure we have the players to produce some top-class performances. There is a good blend of youth and experience in the side. The younger players have been developing well over the last two or three years. It is great to be able to blood another one in Jonah and I am looking forward to the three-day campaign with great optimism.' Norfolk have already played Hertfordshire at Sprowston, in the T20 competition when they won both games last month. The Stags will provide tough opposition and have named a strong side, including three players who have played for professional counties in the last few seasons. Nico Reifer was released by Surrey last year after making 21 first XI appearances, Callum Taylor, the former Glamorgan all-rounder played 34 first team games, which included a century against Northamptonshire on his first-class debut, and Archie Harrison appeared once in the Derbyshire first team. Teams Norfolk: Sam Arthurton (cpt), Ethan Metcalf, Ben Wilcox, Alfie Cooper, Charlie Hood (wkt), Arthur Wilcox, Jonah Wicks, Hami Qadri, Joe Everett, Brett Stolworthy, Andy Hanby. Hertfordshire: Dom Chatfield, Archie Harrison, Callum Taylor, Nico Reifer, Ben Clifford, David Burnell, Andrew Neal, Benji Cowell (wkt), Jack Plom, Chinmay Mallapudi, Ben Waring (cpt). 12th man Nafis Shaikh.
