Claydon ruled out of Surrey match

July 28, 2023

ALL-ROUNDER Ben Claydon will miss Sunday’s NCCA Showcase match versus Surrey due to injury.

The 23-year-old has injured an ankle and is ruled out of the 50-overs-a-side match against the reigning county champions at Woolpit CC, start 11am.

Claydon, who was last season’s Suffolk Men’s Player of the Year, was unable to bowl in the second innings in the Durant NCCA Championship game against Lincolnshire, which ended in a draw on Tuesday.

Opening bat Darren Batch, who missed the recent NCCA Trophy Semi-Final loss to Cumbria on his home ground at Sudbury due to a knee injury, is once again ruled out. Batch top-scored with 72 for Suffolk in last season’s Showcase fixture against Kent Spitfires.

Darren Ironside, who scored an undefeated 53 in the match against Kent, continues to be absent after damaging ankle ligaments which have prevented him from playing for Suffolk in the Championship this season.

Suffolk will be keeping their fingers crossed that the in-form George Rhodes will be fit to play, after scoring a century for the third successive Championship match despite struggling with a knee injury.

Josh Rymell and Matt Wareing also drop out of the side that drew against Lincolnshire, with white-ball skipper Adam Mansfield returning along with Andy Northcote and Alex Cruickshank.

Arthur Summers, who is still only 17 and was 12th man at Sleaford, is also in the squad.

Mansfield said: “It’s obviously a great game for us and we’re all looking forward to it. It’s a nice opportunity to reward the players for giving up so much of their time to represent the county.

“We’ve tried to stick with the players that have been involved in the 50-over campaign, but it’s a real shame that Ben Claydon misses out due to injury.

“He’s a big part of our team and moving forwards, but we’re hoping he’ll be around during the day to be with the team.

“It’s a great opportunity for our younger players to test themselves out against professional cricketers and gives them a close-up opportunity to see how they go about their business.”

Mansfield, who came out of retirement this season to lead Suffolk’s white-ball campaign, added: “Huge thanks go to Woolpit Cricket Club for hosting the day. Lots of effort goes on behind the scenes and that deserves huge credit.”

England international Reece Topley now appears certain to face the county of his birth, after returning from a shoulder injury, although Surrey have yet to confirm their line-up.

Suffolk squad: Adam Mansfield (capt), Jack Beaumont, Alex Oxley, George Rhodes, Ben Parker, Josh Cantrell, Jacob Marston (wkt), Andy Northcote, Tom Harper, Dan Shanks, Alex Cruickshank, Arthur Summers.

Ben Claydon is pictured above batting in last season’s NCCA Showcase match versus Kent Spitfires at Woolpit CC.

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