Reigning champions Downham were the visitors to Norton Warnes.
Cromer achieved an excellent winning draw earlier in the season at Downham and hoped for much of the same on their own ground.
With the threat of rain in the air the captains agreed to reduce the game to 46 overs per side. Cromer skipper Tom Davies won the toss and put the visitors into bat.
Tulett was making an early impression on the scoreboard and with some big hitting helped Downham reach 39 from just 5 overs. They had lost two wickets with Rayno Arendse getting both Barnard and Phangiso cheaply.
Al Stuart joined Tulett and they put on a stand of 50 before Charlwood got Tulett 4 short of his half century. At the half way stage Downham were 103 for 4. Lanchester and Angus Stuart were now in the middle of a valuable partnership of 42, which ended when Stuart (28) was dismissed leg before to Elliott.
Although wickets were falling the visitors were moving towards a very competitive score. Joss Stuart with a handy 28 not out guided Downham to a score of 205 for 8 from their 46 overs.
Richard Charlwood finished with 3 for 37 and Warnes and Arendse both picked up two wickets.
In reply Arendse and Davies got Cromer off to a steady start, but when Davies was out lbw to Todd, his side would lose 5 more wickets and from 12 overs Cromer were struggling at 33 for 6. Good double figure contribution from the lower order: Elliott (15), Buck (16), Liam Davies (12) and Lithins (10) helped prevent a very embarrassing defeat. But their resistance could only last so long and Downham secured a convincing victory in the 28th over.
Greg Tulett and Addam Todd did the damage finishing with figures of 5 for 22 and 4 for 44 respectively.
Another disappointing result for Cromer who have another home game this Saturday against Norwich & Coltishall Wanderers.