IN glorious sunshine and energy-sapping heat Watton faced Great Yarmouth II for their first home game of the season. This game belonged to the Norman family as soon as captain Paul Norman won the toss.

IN glorious sunshine and energy-sapping heat Watton faced Great Yarmouth II for their first home game of the season.

This game belonged to the Norman family as soon as captain Paul Norman won the toss.

The practice wicket on Thursday evening's training session had shown lots of variance and believing that today's wicket would only worsen as the game progressed, the captain chose to bat first, subjecting the Great Yarmouth team to Mediterranean conditions in the field.

The fourth delivery of the opening over, a poor ball straying 12 inches outside leg was the downfall of P Norman, hitting his back leg it deflected onto the stumps. Bruno Norman then steadied the ship and played some fine shots for 22 before being dismissed lbw by one of the many 'shooters' produced by the wicket. The batting order then crumpled as the next 4 wickets produced only 30 runs.

The return of Gavin Norman from injury could not have been better timed. With some exquisite shots the bowler dug in and scored an awesome personal best score of 59 (including 11 fours).

With Watton nearly all out Daniel Norman then came in to help take the score past 120 runs for that extra batting point, which may be crucial at the end of the season. With 146 all out and five of the 10 wickets falling to shooters the home attack was confident the game was all but over, as it proved to be.

The Watton bowling attack was simply devastating with P Norman (4 wickets, 11 runs off 7) avenging his early dismissal by taking the first wicket on his fourth ball. Backed up by tight bowling from the other end by Tom Palmer who was denied a wicket off his outstanding spell of eight overs for eight runs (four maidens) the captain took four wickets for 11 off seven overs.

With Great Yarmouth four wickets for seven runs after six overs, the game was over but batsman N Harvey and J Doggett dug in to frustrate Watton's hope for an early shower until the breakthrough came in the 18th over, as a bowling change saw the brothers Gavin and Bruno bowling from opposite ends.

Bruno charging in at good pace fired in a 'yorker', which took N Harvey lbw. The opposition batting then crumbled with only P Vickers showing some fight scoring a quick fire 17 before Bruno knocked his stumps over with a straight ball.

The last wicket, of Great Yarmouth stalwart B Johnston (who took three Watton wickets once again), was hard won after two consecutive previous balls had been first dropped, the second then glanced off the stumps for the bails to remain firmly in place. Bruno's next ball was chipped high into the air for D Norman to catch comfortably.

If it had not been for the seventh wicket, taken by G Norman being caught at first slip by Dicksy it would have been a clean sweep by the conquering Normans with Bruno ending up with a professional four wickets for three off five overs, Great Yarmouth only making 52 off 26 overs.

Next week's game is away against last year's Division Five runners up Aldeburgh. With both Bruno and Gavin Norman away for Gavin's stag do, watch this space for what is sure to be a challenging game for Watton CC.