Comber returns to white-ball side

April 18, 2023

MICHAEL Comber returns to the Suffolk side for their opening NCCA T20 Group 3 fixtures of the season.

The 33-year-old all-rounder has not featured since the 2019 season but is back to face Cambridgeshire in Sunday’s double-header at Ipswich School, start 11am.

Comber (pictured above batting versus Essex 2nd XI in 2019) played in Suffolk’s friendlies versus Bedfordshire at Bury St Edmunds last Sunday, scoring 53 off 38 balls as Suffolk lost the first match by 26 runs chasing the visitors’ 153 for 6.

Bedfordshire won the second match by four wickets, chasing down Suffolk’s 109 for 7 with eight balls to spare, Tom Harper producing excellent figures for Suffolk of 4-2-5-2.

Suffolk head coach Andy Northcote said: “It’s great having Mike back and fighting fit. He batted well in the friendly and we’ll be using him at the top for the start of the competition too.

“Tom bowled well against Bedfordshire so retains his spot in the 13 and as you’ll see, we’ve only gone in with one outright seamer in Dan Shanks plus Ben Claydon.

“This says lots about the dynamic of players that we have available at the minute; the strength of our spin bowling options and the depth we have with the bat.

“Our seamers, of which we have a decent size batch, are developing nicely and will most certainly play a prominent role as the season unfolds. It’s great to have our pro, George Rhodes, back too after wintering in Australia and to have Freddie Heldreich available from Northants.”

Despite the double-defeat to Bedfordshire, which marked Adam Mansfield’s return as the county’s white-ball skipper, Northcote said there were plenty of positives to take from the fixtures.

He said: “There were lots of plus points to take home which is exactly what the friendly was about.

“We were missing three senior batters so there were opportunities for the next generation/those waiting in line to get a go. This can only help them and make them hungrier to become a regular within our side.

“The game also gave us the opportunity to try a few key roles and players in various positions so though we came second, it was a very beneficial day for us.”

Looking ahead to the matches against Cambridgeshire, Northcote said: “What a game to start with! History tells us they are very good at white-ball cricket, and particularly the T20s, so we’ll certainly have our work cut out.

“No doubt the surface will be a good one and if the weather stays fair, we’ll be in for a humdinger of a day.”

Suffolk squad: Michael Comber, Jack Beaumont, Ben Claydon, Alex Oxley, George Rhodes, Ben Parker, Darren Ironside, Josh Cantrell, Adam Mansfield (capt), Jacob Marston (wkt), Freddie Heldreich, Tom Harper, Dan Shanks.

 

Scorecards versus Bedfordshire

First match

Second match

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