It's an opening partnership which has given the cricket season a Champagne flavour for many seasons.And once more the Thetford & Brandon/Watton & Swaffham Times is delighted to team up with Hansells Solicitors and Financial Advisers to launch a season-long search to find the area's best batsman and bowler.

It's an opening partnership which has given the cricket season a Champagne flavour for many seasons.

And once more the Thetford & Brandon/Watton & Swaffham Times is delighted to team up with Hansells Solicitors and Financial Advisers to launch a season-long search to find the area's best batsman and bowler.

The ever-popular Hansells Roll of Honour adds extra competitive incentive to the cricket season - culminating in a Champagne reception hosted by Hansells where each of the season's winners is presented with a cheque for £75 and a framed certificate.

“The Roll of Honour is a wonderful concept because all cricketers compete on a level playing field,” said Hansells managing partner Roger Holden.

“Whatever standard a player competes at, of whatever age, if they have a really good day they are in with a chance of being crowned batsman or bowler of the year. At Hansells we always find it great fun and love to keep track of the figures week by week on our office noticeboard. We witness some fantastic cricketing achievements!

“It is interesting, when we talk to the winners, to find out just how many were spurred on by the knowledge that they were closing in on the best figures.”

Richard Willner, Archant's head of sport, expressed his delight that the Hansells Roll of Honour feature will again be running throughout all seven of the weekly titles which the company publishes in Norfolk and north Suffolk.

“We are thrilled to have Hansells on board as our sponsorship

partners. This is the eighth year of the Hansells Roll of Honour. Their generosity in providing the prize money and organising the prestigious Champagne reception at the end of the season is very much appreciated. It all adds up to a very attractive incentive for local cricketers,” said Richard.

Each week the Times sports staff will be combing through the results and scorecards to find the best bowling and batting figures of the week and keep the leader board updated.

The climax of the competition is a Champagne reception, hosted by Hansells' partners in their Norwich head office boardroom, where the guests of honour are the batsmen and bowler of the year for the Times and winners from the other titles.

The winning figures must be attained in a bona fide league or cup match for a team within the circulation area.

The scores must also be from a game played in the past week and must be part of a report or scorecard from a club official. We'll reward the batsmen who score the most runs in a single innings and the bowlers who take the highest number of wickets for least runs.

Send reports and scorecards to norfolksport@archant.co.uk - or drop hard copy into any Archant local office, clearly marked for the TH/WS Times sportsdesk, making a separate note highlighting any notable displays.

Last year's winners were Mitch Troy (Thetford) 146 and Andrew Macrow (East Harling A) 7-31.