Suffolk lose absorbing contest
August 14, 2024SUFFOLK’S participation in the top flight of next season’s National Counties Championship is hanging in the balance.
An absorbing contest at Stafford CC, who were hosting their first three-day Championship fixture for 69 years, ended in a five-wicket loss to Staffordshire on Tuesday.
After George Rhodes (130) and Darren Ironside (89) shared a third-wicket stand of 170, Suffolk set Staffs an arguably generous 307 to win in a minimum of 65 overs, and the hosts chased down their target with 6.4 overs to spare to move top of Eastern Division One.
Suffolk now occupy fifth and last place and must either defeat Lincolnshire or draw with close to maximum bonus points in their final match at Copdock, starting this Sunday, to avoid relegation.
After Josh Cantrell removed Matthew Morris for 49 to leave Staffordshire 102 for 3 in the 26th over, Suffolk appeared to be gaining the ascendency.
However, their hosts wrestled the initiative back as Reeve Evitts (53 off 40 deliveries) joined Tom Moulton (77 off 81) in a fourth-wicket alliance of 112 off 94 balls across the next 15 overs.
Suffolk started leaking runs – 33 off just 15 balls at one stage – as the pair led the charge, before the debut-making Mackenzie Jones dismissed Evitts.
That only brought first-innings century-maker Michael Hill to the crease and even after Jones removed Moulton, Sam Atkinson powered Staffs home with 35 off 26 including seven fours.
Scotland Under-19 opening bowler Jones, who plays for Colchester & East Essex CC, was one of two debutants to impress for Suffolk, wicket-keeper Ronnie McKenna from Frinton CC (both have played for Essex 2nd XI) being the other.
McKenna took over the gloves from Jacob Marston, who played as a batter only, and was dismissed for just 12 and then first ball for the second time in four innings.
After Suffolk won the toss, Rhodes (70), Cantrell (51) and Ironside (41) underpinned Suffolk’s first innings total of 277 all out, albeit they only used us 76.3 of their maximum 90 overs.
A fourth-wicket stand of 152 between Evitts (81) and Hill (116 not out) saw Staffordshire establish a lead of 72 on first innings.
However, Suffolk fought back and closed day two on 180 for 2, Ironside and Rhodes holding firm as the home team sought a breakthrough.
They extended their partnership to 170 before Ironside’s 188-ball 89 was ended when he miscued a drive to mid off, but Rhodes went on to score a sublime 130 off 153 deliveries laced with 16 fours and two sixes, passing 1,000 runs for the county in the process.
Some lusty blows from McKenna (28 off 27) and birthday boy Tom Harper (22 off 24) enabled Suffolk to declare on 378 for 6 at lunch, but Staffs batting carried them home.
Jones, who has only just turned 19, bowled better than his figures of 16-2-58-0 and 15-0-62-2 across the two innings suggest.
After Buckinghamshire had beaten Bedfordshire earlier in the day, Jones said: “We were not here for the draw. We wanted to risk losing to be able to win this game because we saw the result.
“We thought it was the right idea and we started pretty well, but hindsight is a great thing looking back on it. It is a shame, maybe we went a little bit early there, but it is what it is.”
George Rhodes is pictured above acknowledging the applause after his innings of 130 at Stafford CC.
Tags: Darren Ironside, George Rhodes, Mackenzie Jones, NCCA Championship, Ronnie McKenna, Stafford CC, Staffordshire
Categorised in: Suffolk CCC