Fakenham visited Cromer, a place they have found difficult to win at, and held their nerve to secure a 16 run win and take the lead in the Norfolk Alliance Premier Division.

Asked to bat, Fakenham lost the early wicket of Harry Bammant (4) before Jon Ewart set about the bowling.

Ewart was the main aggressor in a 95 run partnership with Ben Harvey before playing one shot too many and being caught at long on for 52 with his side sitting pretty on 118-2 after 18 overs. Harvey (26) soon followed and Luke Caswell, Will Dunger and Keegan Monaghan-Fairlie were all dismissed to leave the visitors on 171-6.

At this stage Cromer had bowled 40 wides which were to play a significant part in the game.

Billy Buckingham and Richard Ewart both played sensible innings before Buckingham (11) fell lbw which brought Lloyd Marshall to the crease.

Ewart (27) departed to leave Fakenham 220-7 with just 19 balls remaining and captain David Coyle and Marshall at the crease. Some lusty hitting from man-of-the-match Marshall (31) saw Fakenham score 43 more runs with Coyle (15 off six) also getting in on the act as the total reached 263-9.

Caswell and Marshall opened the bowling, with Marshall picking up the crucial wickets of Sutton and Davies.

First change Buckingham then dismissed Charlwood caught and bowled to reduce Cromer to 68-3.

With Coyle and Buckingham bowling 17 overs between them for only one boundary, Fakenham were in front on run rate but with Matthew Warnes and Turner well set all three results were still possible with 20 overs to go.

Will Dunger and Toby Hood then entered the attack and both bowled fantastic spells. Hood dismissed Turner while Dunger bowled the dangerous Warnes for an excellent 88.

With the score 205-5 and Cromer needing nine an over the match started swinging Fakenham's way again and Hood and Dunger collected three more wickets to see them home, with a 19 point lead in the table after just three games.

Fakenham are at home to Brooke on Saturday (noon start).

Meanwhile back at Fakenham the seconds were home to Cromer's seconds who reached 172-3 only to end up all out for 200 after a collapse.

In reply Fakenham reached 202-2 with Peter Matthews scoring an unbeaten 119 not out. The win lifts Fakenham to a clear second in their division.

The third team fell 23 runs short in a high scoring game at North Elmham. Elmham scored 215-4 off their 40 overs and the Fakenham youngsters could only muster 182-9.