Cumberland's cricketers were again victorious as Mattie McKiernan proved to be the County match-winner for a second game in a row against Norfolk.

In a low-scoring match, Cumberland ended up chasing a target of 103 off 16 overs in the last hour.

Cumberland lost three early wickets and, when skipper Gary Pratt was bowled by Norfolk captain Chris Brown, they still needed 53 off 38 balls.

But McKiernan and Ross Zelem combined to steer their side home in the tensest of finishes, which went down right to the final over, as Norfolk fielders ringed the boundary with Cumberland eventually winning by six wickets.

The County took 21 points from the game and trail Eastern Division leaders Lincolnshire by seven points with two games remaining.

Batting was never a comfortable task on a Horsford pitch that saw only three batsmen make half-centuries.

Sam Arthurton made an impressive 59 in Norfolk’s first innings but after he was fourth man out at 118, the last seven wickets fell for just 44 runs as Cumberland ended both side’s first innings with a lead of 57 runs.

Persistent drizzle put paid to any hopes of play after lunch on the second day and cut short the morning session on the third day as Cumberland set about trying to bowl out Norfolk in the time available for a second time.

Adam Syddall (4-66) and Toby Bulcock (4-38) were the pick of the Cumberland bowlers in the second innings, dismissing Norfolk for 159 and setting themselves a total of slightly more than 100 to win.

Cumberland lost Workington’s Callum Moffat and Jon Miles inside the first two overs and Sam Dutton in the third as their chase got off to a bad start.

But McKiernan (53 not out) and Zelem (20 not out) saw the Cumbrians home. Zelem had earlier scored 74 in the first innings.

Cumberland travel again to take on Suffolk at Ipswich School next weekend before they bring the season to a close by hosting Bucks at Sedbergh School.