There were jubilant scenes at Cromer Lawn Tennis Club on Friday when the Norfolk Men’s team clinched promotion to Group One of Summer County Cup for the first time in 35 years.
A 5-1 victory over the East of Scotland saw Norfolk promoted as champions of Group Two on the final day ahead of second placed Cheshire who will join them at Eastbourne for Group One in 2012.
Only once, in 1977, have Norfolk competed in the top flight of the event, but four wins out of five in a fiercely competitive Group Two saw the current squad equal the achievements of the promotion winning side of ’76.
The week began with a rain-delayed 5-4 victory over Cheshire. When play eventually got underway, James Auckland and Richard Bloomfield provided three rubbers whilst Captain Barry Fulcher and veteran Tom Spinks chipped in with a pair of wins.
The score line could’ve been more emphatic but Nicky Crawley and Matt Green were beaten 14-12 in a third set tie-break and Fulcher and Spinks were downed in another.
Norfolk’s lone defeat came on Tuesday at the hands of South Wales and threatened to derail the promotion campaign.
Again, Bloomfield and Auckland won three from three but this time only Crawley and Green were able to contribute with a single rubber against the Welsh third pair. At 4-4, Fulcher and Spinks were locked in a decider before being broken in the final game to lose 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and hand South Wales victory.
A re-shuffled Norfolk side bounced back in style on Wednesday with an emphatic 8-1 trouncing of Lancashire.
Bloomfield reformed his successful partnership with Crawley at first pair, Fulcher and Spinks stayed together and Auckland and Dan Wynne completed the line-up.
All three pairs won to put Norfolk firmly in control at lunch before another clean sweep in the second round put the result beyond doubt at 6-0.
Norfolk added a further two rubbers and it could’ve been 9-0 but Auckland and Wynne dropped the final rubber of the day in a third set tie-break after leading early on.
The loss of Auckland and Spinks for the final two days meant that Jonny Wynne partnered older brother Dan and Green came back into the team, this time with Fulcher for a huge clash with Warwickshire and British number three Dan Evans.
The Wynnes put Norfolk 1-0 up with the other two matches entering deciding sets. Fulcher and Green produced a dramatic comeback to defeat Evans and partner Neil Goldsby before Bloomfield and Crawley completed the first round whitewash with a gritty display.
At 3-0, Norfolk were heavy favourites and the win was confirmed after the second round; Bloomfield and Crawley and Fulcher and Green were winners again to give Norfolk an unassailable 5-1 lead.
Evans and Goldsby withdraw against the Wynnes due to an injury to the latter and Bloomfield and Crawley took Norfolk to 7-1 with a comfortable win. Fulcher and Green held match points in the second set of their match but took the decision to stop in the third set with a view to Friday’s crunch clash with the East of Scotland and Fulcher’s shoulder causing considerable discomfort.
The same team lined up on Friday, knowing that three rubbers against the East of Scotland would be enough to seal promotion.
Norfolk came out flying and were 2-0 up when Bloomfield and Crawley followed by the Wynne brothers won in straight sets. Fulcher and Green were beaten but when Warwickshire found themselves 2-1 down to Lancashire on the neighbouring courts, Norfolk’s return to the top flight was confirmed. Celebrations were put on hold however as Fulcher urged his team to press home their advantage and take the Group Two crown; they duly obliged.
Bloomfield and Crawley made the score 3-1 before Fulcher and Green ensured that Norfolk would be champions with a three set victory. East of Scotland retired from the final rubber to leave the final score at 5-1 and the celebrations began in earnest.
It was fitting too that members of the last Norfolk side to play in Group One, including Robin Lincoln who holds the record number of rubbers played for the county and current NLTA President Tony Spurgeon, were on hand as Fulcher’s men went up individually to receive their winners’ trophies; warmly applauded by the assembled Norfolk supporters.
LTA Councillor Richard Palmer said in his speech:
“It is tremendous that in my first year as councillor I am able to present the Norfolk team with their trophies and may I congratulate them on a fantastic week.”
Captain Barry Fulcher expressed his delight at the achievement of his team:
“I’m a proud skipper right now – this same group of lads has fought through thick and thin to get to the elite division of County Tennis.
Fulcher added:
“We have a formidable group of players and a fantastic team spirit. It was a pleasure to Captain this side and hugely satisfying to get to reach Group One next year. I firmly believe we can go on to challenge for the title in Eastbourne next summer. Hopefully, our success will attract potential sponsors which will help towards kit and the costs of competing at the top level of county tennis.”
Bloomfield, who was the only player from any team in Group Two to go undefeated all week, paid tribute to Fulcher’s leadership and the team spirit.
“Baz always says the right things when we’re in tough spots. Then it’s down to the boys to dig in and get the results which we’ve done time after time. We all get on so well, we all fight hard and encourage each other throughout.”
Norfolk will face reigning Champions Hertfordshire, Derbyshire, Kent, Surrey and Cheshire next year at Eastbourne.