Thetford won the toss and put the visitors into bat. Skipper Tom Davies opened the batting with Rayno Arendse. The home sides opening bowlers bowled tight in the early overs but failed to take a wicket.
After the first 10 overs Cromer were 42 for no loss. Arendse and Davies then began to up the run rate and moved on to 87 in the 18th over before Tom Davies was bowled by Smeed on 27. Thetford broke the superb opening partnership from Davies and Arendse. Shortly after the loss of Davies, Arendse moved past his half century hitting 6 fours and 1 six. The Cromer professional added 10 more runs before being caught by Smeed off the bowling of Piggott. Arendse scored 60 off 73 balls and Cromer were 116 for 3 with 5 overs remaining.
Liam Davies (10), Richard Charlwood (8) and Michael Warnes (7) all added quick, vital runs and Cromer finished 147 for 8 from their 30 overs. Smeed and Piggott were the only wicket takers as they ended with figures of 4 for 13 and 3 for 25 respectively.
In reply Thetford openers Bryanton and Conroy looked to get the innings going. Both made 13 before both being dismissed off the bowling of James Craske. Craske would go on to get two more wickets and finish with figures of 4 for 22 from 6 overs. Craske produced possibly his best spell of bowling since joining the club. He used the conditions superbly to serve up several unplayable deliveries, which had the batsmen in all sorts of bother.
Four more wickets fell for very few runs and at the halfway mark Thetford were 41 for 6. One of those wickets was the experienced Mickey Piggott who was out for a duck, caught Charlwood bowled Webster. Charlie Webster was making his first appearance for the Cromer first XI. He bowled his six overs excellently, took two wickets and conceded just six runs.
Thetford then lost their seventh wicket before Smeed and Lingard put up a slight resistance. They put on a partnership of 31 before Smeed was bowled by Colin Brown for 24. Only 4 overs remained so Cromer had more or less secured victory with Thetford requiring a massive 15 runs per over with two wickets left. Cromer got the last Thetford wicket in the 29th over, ending when Tom Davies stumped Lingard off the bowling of Brown. Brown finished with figures of 2 for 17.
Thetford were all out for 88 meaning Cromer won by 59 runs.
Weather permitting Cromer should face Dereham at the Norton Warnes on Sunday in the next round. Saturday also sees a home fixture in the league for the first XI with Acle the visitors.