Suffolk outplayed in both games
June 29, 2025SUFFOLK’S chances of qualification from Group 2 in this season’s NCCA T20 competition suffered a double setback on Sunday.
They were outplayed by Norfolk in both matches, losing by the large margins of 71 runs and eight wickets at Woolpit CC.
Norfolk now top the group, with Suffolk second ahead of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, who they visit next Sunday in their final two group games.
After Suffolk won the toss and chose to field in the first match, Norfolk got off to a fast-scoring start and never let the tempo drop.
Freddie Fairey powered his way to a superb century, scoring 108 off just 59 balls with 13 fours and four sixes.
He received good support from Ben Wilcox in a second-wicket alliance of 66 in 7.2 overs and then Sam King as they added 88 in just 5.4 overs for the third.
Suffolk’s attack, apart from Dan Shanks, came in for some severe treatment as King, who is on the staff at Nottinghamshire, smashed his way to 52 (3 x 4, 4 x 6) off 22 deliveries.
The innings closed with Norfolk posting an imposing 219 for 6 and the outcome was effectively settled in the opening three overs of Suffolk’s reply as they lost four wickets for 17 runs.
Adam Jones (51) and Darren Ironside (55) shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 96 in 10.3 overs, but Suffolk never even got close.
The home team fared little better in match two, electing to bat after stand-in skipper Jones again called correctly at the toss.
They totalled 137 for 4 in their innings, chiefly thanks to another fifty from Jones and an undefeated 31 from Ironside, the pair this time adding 56 in seven overs after coming together with Suffolk 75 for 3 off 12.3 overs.
However, Norfolk made short work of their run chase, romping to victory with 5.1 overs unused, Wilcox (37 off 30) and King (60 off 26) coming together at 57 for 2 and seeing their side home.
Suffolk, for whom Shanks was again the stand-out performer with the ball, with figures of 4-0-19-1 to add to his earlier 4-0-15-2, did not help their cause by dropping four catches.
Jones, deputising for the unavailable Josh Cantrell admitted: “Norfolk deserved their two wins. They batted very well in both innings.
“Their ball striking was very clean and we were not able to contain them. We will take our learnings from today into next week’s matches at Hertfordshire.”
Suffolk’s Dan Shanks looks on as Norfolk’s Freddie Fairey completes the single that took him to three figures in the first match on Sunday.
Scorecards
Tags: Adam Jones, Dan Shanks, Darren Ironside, NCCA T20, Norfolk, Woolpit CC
Categorised in: Suffolk CCC