Stow sitting pretty in the Norfolk Alliance

Newly-promoted Stow are enjoying life in the top flight of the Norfolk Alliance and proudly sit top of the table after their first four matches back in the Premier Division.

A three-wicket success against Cromer saw them remain top of the pile in a game that Amit Dhadwal registered another century.

Stow captain Esse won the toss and asked Cromer to bat on a good-looking pitch.

However, the decision looked to have backfired when Cromer's opening pairing of Warnes and Davies capitalised on a number of bad deliveries from the bowling duo of Ward and Cook.

Although Cromer never got away from Stow, the visitors seemed to be setting up a good platform for later in the innings as the opening stand passed 50.

With the score on 64, it was Ward (1-40) who got the breakthrough when Davies got a leading edge to be caught in the covers by Dhadwal.

Purton joined Warnes in the middle and started brightly striking a few early boundaries.

An injury to captain Esse caused a break in play and worked in Stow’s advantage as they were outstanding in the second half of the innings.

Stow picked up two quick wickets as Dhadwal (2-41) bowled Purton and had Warnes trapped leg-before-wicket for a well-made 45 to reduce Cromer to 93 for 3.

Turner and Charlwood rallied for Cromer, playing positively to put on a partnership of 59.

Stow then hit back as Esse bowled Turner for 28 and then Cook (1-34) yorked Charlwood for 27.

Cromer then found runs hard to come by as Lawrrence fell leg-before-wicket to Esse and Brassett then had Laws removed in similar fashion.

A few lusty blows from Warnes followed, but Esse (3-35) and Brassett (3-20) combined again to bowl Comer out for 203 in the final over.

Stow’s run chase began in positive fashion as both Esse and Dhadwal capitalised with some early boundaries and good positive running.

Both players had hit lusty blows off the bowling off Brown. but with the score on 78 it was Esse who played an attacking shot too many and was caught on the boundary for 31.

High was bowled by Purton for 4 and, when Landymore offered back a caught-and-bowled chance to the same bowler, Stow found themselves 98 for 3.

G. Cook joined the relaxed-looking Dhadwal at the crease and they progressed the score to 119 until a Cook cover drive found the fielder at extra-cover.

There was still time Dhadwal to register his second hundred in three games.

He fell soon after for an outstanding 103 and Southgate ran himself out for 0 as Stow searched for the final run.

Cook duly obliged when he struck a boundary over mid-off to see Stow home by three wickets.

Anglia Car Auction Man-of-the-match: Amit Dhadwal.