Suffolk look to wrestle back initiative

SUFFOLK will be looking to wrestle the initiative back from Cambridgeshire when the two sides meet in the NCCA Trophy on Sunday.

Cambridgeshire top Group 3 of the 50-over competition with five points from their three fixtures so far, with Suffolk sitting in second spot with three points from their two matches.

The two teams meet head on at Friars Street, home of Sudbury CC, in  a match being sponsored by Fenn Wright, the region’s leading, independently owned firm of chartered surveyors, estate agents and property consultants, start 11am.

After defeating Norfolk by nine wickets in their opening Group 3 game, Suffolk’s match at Shropshire last Sunday was washed out without a ball being bowled.

The only change to the team against Norfolk sees Matt Allen replace his former Mildenhall CC team-mate Ben Shepperson, who is unavailable.

Tristan Blackedge (unavailable) and Josh Cantrell (injured, pictured above) would have both missed out last Sunday had the match gone ahead but return to face Cambridgeshire.

Suffolk head coach Andy Northcote is well aware of the threat posed by Cambridgeshire, who defeated Suffolk in the group stages last season before losing on the toss of a coin in the semi-final.

He said: “They are in fine form, but we have done all we can do to date, winning one and having one rained off and have a very balanced 12, so are confident the fixture will be a cracker to watch with the team that performs the best on the day winning.

“Competitions like this are about momentum and we need to wrestle it back from Cambridgeshire – that’s a given. Target one is to qualify out of the group, target two is to win the group. The rest will be what it will be.”

Suffolk defeated Hertfordshire by one run on DLS last season in what was the county men’s side’s first-ever full competitive fixture at the ground.

Northcote said: “Sudbury’s where I made my debut for Suffolk last season and it will live long in my memory. I am super proud to have played a big part in that win under some tricky sticky conditions.

“Our group this year is a year better and a year wiser, so I am confident of another strong performance.

“The weather looks great, the town ground is great, and the opposition are in form – it will be fantastic to try to pull off a win in front of a stellar crowd.”

Suffolk squad: Nick Browne, Jack Beaumont, Ben Claydon, Josh Cantrell, Ben Parker, Daren Ironside, Matt Allen, Dom Manthorpe, Tom Rash (capt), Jacob Marston (wkt), Trisan Blackledge. 12th man: Alex Quin.

Tags: Andy Northcote, Ben Shepperson, Cambridgeshire CCC, Josh Cantrell, Matt Allen, NCCA 50-over Trophy, Tristan Blackledge

Categorised in: Suffolk CCC