Ambitious Frinton made a winning start to their East Anglian Premier League campaign, with a three-wicket success over visiting Norwich in a low-scoring encounter at Ashlyns Road on Saturday.

Skipper Kyran Young had announced Frinton’s bold bid to aim for the title this season, after finishing second in 2015 and sixth last season.

And the Essex club laid down a marker by skittling out Norwich for just 110 in 32.3 overs, helped by Mervyn Westfield dismissing both openers with just six on the board, and Young weighing in with a superb hat-trick.

Former Essex bowler Westfield trapped Martin Greiller leg before and then bowled Norwich stalwart Oliver Higenbottam for a duck, before Dan Carter took the important wicket of danger-man Will O’Donnell, who was caught by Lewis Catlow in the covers for just five.

Tottering on 10 for three, the visitors never really recovered, despite 33 from wicketkeeper Lewis Sexton in the middle order.

Skipper Young sliced through that middle order, to finish with eye-catching figures of 5-2-17-4, including taking three wickets in three balls to dismiss Ashley Watson (caught by wicketkeeper Thomas Benn), Rupert King (LBW) and Jamie Mirner (bowled) for an opening day hat-trick. Westfield claimed three for 17 off eight overs.

Young went on to top-score in Frinton’s reply, striking 30 off 73 balls at No. 3. Summer recruit Michael Comber, the former Bury St Edmunds skipper, contributed 23 and Kemar Smith 13, while Benn and Catlow saw Frinton home with 17.4 overs to spare, on 114 for seven.

“The bowlers bowled well on both sides, but we outplayed Norwich in all facets of the game,” explained Frinton captain Young.

“Merv (Westfield) and Dan (Carter) kept a very tight length and line. The umpires were fairly strict on wides, and I thought our bowlers adjusted better to that.

“They bowled a fantastic line, and that was perhaps the main difference between the two sides.

“We managed to put pressure on the Norwich batsmen, and I felt we were always in control of the game during our reply, with me and Mike (Comber) at the crease, despite a mini-collapse with a few LBWs,” added Young.