Champions Norfolk go out of MCCA Trophy

Defending MCCA Trophy champions Norfolk are out of this year's competition after a two-run defeat by Cambridgeshire at Clare College.

The home side reached 238-7 in their 50 overs, with all of the top five batsmen passing 30.

Norfolk looked well placed in the chase thanks to an unbeaten century from former Kent man Trevor Ward.

But he was starved of the strike in the final over to end on 123 not out as Norfolk fell agonisingly short.

The result leaves Norfolk second in Group Four behind Cambridgeshire, but the champions have played all of their four fixtures.

Norfolk player-coach Chris Brown said his side were hampered by the loss of captain Carl Rogers early in their reply.

"That was a huge blow, then unfortunately Chris Borrett followed, but we got back on track with a good partnership between Trevor Ward and Stephen Gray," said Brown.

"Unfortunately he [Gray] got out and we lost three wickets in the space of about three overs which put us on the back foot.

"We did fight back and showed quite a bit of character but to be two runs short at the end was disappointing," he added.

After failing to progress with just one win from their group games, Norfolk turn their attention to the first three-day game of the season, also away to Cambridgeshire, beginning on 6 June.

"That's our focus now," added Brown. "The nucleus of 13 or 14 players isn't going to change, so it'll be down to individual performances in club cricket to decide who plays."