Suffolk spin their way to win

July 14, 2026

SUFFOLK’S spinners turned the screw to secure a nail-biting victory over Northumberland at Bury St Edmunds CC on Tuesday.

The Men’s 1st XI entered the third and final day of their opening NCCA Cluberly Championship contest precariously placed on 92 for 6 in their second innings after conceding a one-run first-innings lead.

A crucial tenth-wicket stand of 44 between Alex Oxley, who top-scored with 71, and last-man James Bridges, on his Championship debut, saw Suffolk dismissed for 171.

That left the visitors requiring 171 for victory in 90 overs, but they collapsed to 56 for 6 off 28.3 overs to leave Suffolk in the ascendency.

A seventh-wicket stand of 56 between 17-year-old Rory Mustard, son of former England wicket-keeper Phil Mustard, and Callum Gaffney hauled Northumberland back on track.

They had reached 149 for 7, needing just 22 to win, when Mustard was lbw for 50 to Ollie Burle, who had also removed Gaffney courtesy of a smart diving catch at mid-wicket by Oxley and finished with impressive figures of 8-3-11-2.

Tom Harper (33-12-73-4) and captain Jack Beaumont (25.3-9-44-3) claimed the last two wickets, meaning nine fell to spin, to seal what had seemed a highly unlikely victory and a maximum 24 points at the start of the day.

Off spinner Tom Harper (above) took nine wickets in the match. Main photograph: Feroze
Khushi batting during his innings of 145 on day one of the match at Bury St Edmunds CC

The third day was in stark contrast to the two previous run-laden days, Suffolk winning the toss and posting 418 for 9 in 90 overs, their highest score since scoring 438 for 5 versus Lincolnshire at Copdock in August 2024.

Beaumont (78) and Burle (74) set Suffolk on their way with an opening partnership of 163 inside 39 overs and paved the way for Feroze Khushi to dominate thereafter with 145 (14×4, 5×6) off 130 deliveries.

He shared a Suffolk record sixth-wicket stand against Northumberland of 111 with Freddie Heldreich, who contributed 50 on his home ground.

Some wayward bowling in the 17 overs that remained on day one allowed Northumberland to reach 75 for 1 and they made Suffolk pay on day two.

Skipper Ross Whitfield (160 off 183 balls) and Jonny Bushnell (129 off 194) added 210, a record third-wicket stand for Northumberland versus Suffolk.

Harper’s 18-0-77-5 ensured Northumberland’s lead was a solitary run, before the visitors’ attack tore into Suffolk’s top order to seemingly set them on course for success.

It was the first time Suffolk have won their opening Championship match since 2021, and Oxley said afterwards it was one of the most exciting three-day games he had been involved in.

“For us to get over the line at the end was huge. It could have gone either way really after tea, so to get a win is huge to start our three-day campaign,” he said.

Scorecard

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