Comber appointed interim captain

August 12, 2019

Interim Suffolk captain Mike Comber said he would find it difficult to turn the job down if offered it on a permanent basis. The 29-year-old has been appointed to lead the county in their final two Unicorns Championship matches of the season following the resignation of Adam Mansfield.

All-rounder Comber, who was vice-captain to Mansfield, will take charge of the side for the first time in the three-day fixture versus Cumberland at Sedbergh School, starting on Sunday.

Comber, who played two first-class, eight List A and three T20 matches for Essex between 2010 and 2012, has captained Clacton, Bury St Edmunds and Frinton in the East Anglian Premier League. However, he has never previously skippered Suffolk for whom he made his debut in 2010 and has featured in 30 Minor Counties Championship matches.

He said: “I am excited at the prospect of skippering Suffolk, although I didn’t expect to be taking on the captaincy under these circumstances this season. “However, it is an opportunity I am willing to take on and follow in Manny’s (Adam Mansfield’s) footsteps and to try and keep the boys happy and motivated.

“We will see how these two games go, but captaining Suffolk on a permanent basis is something I would definitely be interested in. If the county offered me the captaincy full-time I would find it hard to turn down.”

Comber, who finished wicketless but scored 48 and 25 in Mansfield’s last match in charge against Cambridgeshire at Ipswich School, continued: “I have played for Suffolk under Justin Bishop, Tom Huggins and Manny.

“I have learnt a lot from each of them who have all been good role models, but especially Manny who has conducted himself so well over the last three years.” Comber, who was considered for the role before Mansfield was appointed in September 2016, said: “It was not something I really wanted to take on at the time as I didn’t feel ready.

“We all grow up and mature at different stages and I have learned my role as a cricketer and am aware that everyone will be looking to me when we have our backs against the wall. “The guys in the team all respect me as a cricketer which bodes well for me in gaining their support. I have always tried to support the team and win games for Suffolk.”

With Alex Oxley and Kyran Young unavailable, Suffolk add all-rounders Jack Beaumont and Jake Foley plus seamer Paddy Sadler to their squad for the trip to Cumberland. Beaumont was 12 th man versus Cambridgeshire, Foley is in line to play his first Unicorns Championship match of the season after impressing for Saffron Walden and Sadler is a seamer in his first season at Sudbury.

He played for Scotland all through the age groups, captaining his county at the Under-19 World Cup in Australia in 2012, and played nine first-class matches for Cambridge University and Cambridge MCCU.

Suffolk squad: Jaik Micklebrugh, Jake Foley, Darren Ironside, Ben Shepperson, Mike Comber (capt), Jack Beaumont, Tom Rash, James Poulson, Adam Mansfield (wkt), Josh Cantrell, Ollie Bocking, Paddy Sadler
 
Photograph:
Mike Comber batting – Suffolk’s new interim captain Mike Comber batting versus Lincolnshire at Ipswich School last season.

Photograph and Words:
Nick Garnham

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