Suffolk’s division is so tight
August 9, 2024SO TIGHT is Eastern Division One of the National Counties Championship that Suffolk could still win it or be relegated!
Suffolk currently sit in third place on 22 points – 12 behind leaders Lincolnshire and sixth ahead of Buckinghamshire, who occupy the fifth and final position, with every match so far ending in a draw.
With two three-day fixtures to play, starting against Staffordshire at Stafford CC on Sunday, Suffolk head coach Adam Mansfield (pictured above) admitted there is little margin for error.
He said: “It’s getting really tight in the division, and we know that two wins will see us win it outright. This won’t come easy and we know a poor session can have a huge impact.
“We’ve got to be at our best throughout the remaining six days of cricket.”
After rain effectively ended Suffolk’s chances of beating Buckinghamshire at Tring Park CC, the match versus Bedfordshire at Bury St Edmunds CC petered out into a tame draw.
“It was a very frustrating draw against Bedfordshire, but we were happy with how we played and went about trying to get a positive result.
“Being set 350 in 60 overs left us no choice but to bat for the draw. Had we been given a fair target to chase, we’d have definitely gone for the win,” said Mansfield.
There were several positives to take from the match, not least the performances of opener Jack Beaumont, who top-scored in each innings with 61 and 81, and Tom Harper, who took 7 for 55 in the visitors’ first innings.
Mansfield said: “Jack played really nicely, and he’s leading from the front, which I love to see. Tom bowled superbly well and continues to grow each game. We are excited by his progress and hope the future is bright for him.”
Suffolk have yet to yet to finalise their side for Sunday’s match against Staffordshire, who sit two points below them having also completed two of their four matches.
Their hosts almost pulled off a remarkable win against Lincolnshire at Cleethorpes CC in their last match, recovering from 66 for 5 in their second innings – an overall lead of just 68 – to 296 all out.
They then had Lincolnshire hanging on at 193 for 8 as the match ended in a draw.
Mansfield said: “Staffordshire are a fantastic side, and we know how big of a challenge Sunday will be. We’ve got to go and play our best cricket. If we can do that, it’ll be a great game of cricket.”
Suffolk’s final Championship match of the season will be against Lincolnshire at Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC, starting on Sunday, August 18th at 11am.
Tags: Adam Mansfield, Jack Beaumont, NCCA Championship, Stafford CC, Staffordshire, Tom Harper
Categorised in: Suffolk CCC