Trevor Ward was Norfolk's top scorer with 70 first-innings runs

Norfolk's hopes of a respectable finish in the Minor Counties Championship were left in tatters against Cumberland.

Norfolk lost the first match of the Horsford Festival by six wickets, with Cumberland getting the winning runs after just 13 balls on day three.

Norfolk captain Carl Rogers admitted his team did not play well enough.

"It's a job to build a score when you lose the front order like we have, and they bowled better than us, better area and better lines," he said.

Norfolk were bowled out for 143 early on day one of the match at their Manor Park ground, with Cumberland holding a 29-run first-innings lead by the end of the first day.

The visitors ended the innings all out for 324 with a lead of 181 runs, and Norfolk were immediately on the ropes in their second innings losing their first three wickets for just 31 runs.

The middle order rallied somewhat, but they could only muster 217, leaving Cumberland needing just 37 runs to win the match, but with only 30 minutes play remaining.

Norfolk were by now not feeling quite so charitable and took four Cumberland wickets, leaving the visitors seven runs short of their target at the close of play on day two.

The defeat leaves Norfolk bottom of the Minor Counties Championship Eastern Division table.