BOWLING hero Mervyn Westfield believes Frinton Cricket Club are still in the mix for this season’s East Anglian Premier League title.

The Ashlyns Road side are third in the table but had to make do with just ten points from Saturday’s draw at struggling Norwich.

Sudbury are the runaway leaders but Frinton are only nine points behind second-placed Mildenhall.

And Westfield – who took seven wickets and sparkled at the weekend - believes his side are still firmly in the hunt.

“I love Frinton,” said the former Essex man.

“It’s a great club to play for.

“The supporters and members are there every week, backing you, and there’s a great vibe.

“We want to win the league and everyone is starting to believe that might be possible.

“We know how difficult it’s going to be, because of the quality of the sides up at the top of the table.

“But I don’t think we’re far away and if we keep doing what we’re doing, hopefully we’ll be in with a shout.”

Norwich batted first and made 247 before being dismissed in the 62nd over.

Westfield was the chief destroyer with stunning figures of seven for 37 in 14.4 overs, including the wickets of top-order pair Oliver Higenbottam and Aaron Watson.

Michael Comber eventually removed opener Jack Newby, who made 109, while there was a wicket apiece for Daniel Carter and John Hambrook.

Frinton then batted and finished on 199 for nine, with Miguel Machado top-scoring with 62 and Comber and Westfield contributing 62 and 43 respectively.

“I was happy with my performance but the most important thing was the fact we bowled well as a team and unit,” added Westfield, whose bowling figures were his best of the season, taking his overall tally to 27 wickets. It was the fourth time this season he has taken five or more.

“My first spell was alright but I very pleased with my second, which was a lot better.

“We needed wickets, otherwise they would have got a big score, and we said at lunch we wanted to restrict them to 250. Everyone stepped up and kept it tight, bowling the right line and length.

“It was a big shift on a flat wicket.

“Batting-wise, we should have chased down their score but they got a couple of early wickets to put us on the back foot.

“We built a partnership, then lost a wicket, then built another partnership and then lost another wicket. That was the pattern and we needed people to stay out there.”

Frinton are back on the road this weekend when they head to bottom-of-the-table Bury St Edmunds.