Diss get back on track after derby defeat with Twenty20 victory at Norwich

Diss (146-4) bounced back from the previous weekend’s derby defeat to Old Buckenham by recording a six-wicket victory at Norwich on Saturday (142-8).

With the weather less than favourable for cricket, the decision was taken between the two captains to reduce the contest to 20 overs per side.

And first blood went the way of Diss skipper Lewis Taylor, who won his third successive toss and duly opted to put the hosts into bat on a stodgy pitch.

Norwich started brightly taking the score to 23 before Frankie Sutton got a leading edge to be well caught by James Skilleter, off the bowling of Sam Hunt.

With key men Chris Borrett and Harry Nunn then both playing well, Diss knew they needed wickets, and they duly arrived with both batsmen removed on scores of 24.

William Bowman followed soon after for eight, meaning Mark Williamson had picked up three wickets in as many overs and Diss were suddenly on top at 76-4.

However, a calm and collected partnership ensued between Alex Mhandu and Andrew McGeorge to put the game back in the balance again, only for the returning Dan Taylor to then have the latter caught by Mark Brawn for 31.

The impressive James Hardy then had new man Jason Blake stumped by Lewis Taylor for a second-ball duck, and when Skilleter picked up his first Premier Division wicket of Mhandu for 18 – again stumped – Diss were looking to keep the chase to around 140.

Kadeem Alleyne bowled Jamie Mirner in the final over to claim a fourth bonus bowling point for the visitors as Norwich finished the 20 overs on a par score of 142-8.

In reply, Brawn and Daniel Taylor had got the score to 14 before the former was bowled for eight having hit two boundaries.

Alleyne was promoted to three and was in no mood to hang around, hitting his first ball for six over extra cover. In all he hit three maximums in his brisk 23 off 11 balls.

Daniel Taylor was playing a crucial anchor role, and was now joined by the mercurial Rob Tooke.

Taylor would eventually fall for 24, leaving the match firmly in the balance at 68-3, but the in-form Jordon Warren then took the game by the scruff of the neck in partnership with Tooke.

The pair put on 49 in less than five overs to firmly swing the match in Diss’ favour. Yet, just as it seemed they would see the game home, Warren was superbly caught and bowled by Borrett with 26 runs still needed.

With Tooke playing a match-winning knock, Lewis Taylor knew he just had to play a supporting role. And he did just that as the pair calmly saw Diss to their target with four balls to spare.

Tooke fittingly hit the winning runs with a huge six over long on off Mirner, his third of the innings of 47 not out, as Taylor showed a cool head in his unbeaten 13.

Second-placed Diss, who are two points adrift of table-topping Brooke, host Downham & Stow at Rectory Meadow on Saturday (12pm).