Hales entertained a very good Old Buckenham side in the Lady Mary Trophy quarter-final on Sunday. It was a good opportunity to pit their wits against stronger opposition and with some players unavailable also a good chance to give first team outings to some of the promising under 15s.

Hales entertained a very good Old Buckenham side in the Lady Mary Trophy quarter-final on Sunday.

It was a good opportunity to pit their wits against stronger opposition and with some players unavailable also a good chance to give first team outings to some of the promising under 15s.

Hales won the toss and asked Old Buckenham to bat on a pitch left a little damp from the previous day's rain. Graham Squire picked up where he left off the day before removing both openers in his first eventful over which also included four wides.

Skipper Terry Perry and overseas John Jarvis set about repairing the damage with a 46 run partnership before Jarvis (23) played one shot too many and was well caught by Harmer at mid-wicket off Martin Cornish.

Ben Player soon departed from James Ingham's first delivery and Perry was joined by Alexander (37) in a 123 run partnership. Spinners Ingham and Aaron Beaumont bowled tidy spells in there and never allowed the batsmen to get on top but Perry worked his way through to his century before being dismissed by Rob Andersen.

Jack Cook, making his first-team debut, was tidy behind the stumps claiming three catches and Old Buckenham closed their innings on 227-6.

Hales never expected to challenge that total with some batsmen missing but the young order didn't disgrace themselves. Skipper Steve Rowe re-jigged the usual batting order to try to mix the youth and experience and he himself scored a breezy 21 as stand in opener before being the first out in the sixth over.

Wickets fell at regular intervals with only Dave Harmer (24), Graham Squire (10) and Martin Cornish (36) reaching double figures and Hales were bowled out for 118 in the 25th over.

It was disappointing to exit the competition but the game was a useful chance to blood some youngsters into the first team.

Man of the match goes to top-scoring Cornish whose 36 included two consecutive sixes off former county spinner Robbie Austin as well as a tidy spell of bowling and a run out.