Thrilling 35-run win for Suffolk
August 18, 2026SUFFOLK Men’s 1st XI rose to the top of Eastern Division One of the NCCA Cluberly Championship after a thrilling 35-run victory over Cambridgeshire.
Ollier Burle skilfully parried the ball up and caught it just inside the long-on boundary to remove last man James Sykes as Cambridgeshire were bowled out for 203 with 19 balls remaining.
The visitors were left a target of 239 for victory in 47 overs, after bowling out Suffolk for 263 in their second innings at Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC on Tuesday.
Cambridgeshire, needing a win to boost their chances of avoiding relegation, kept going right to the end as spinners Tom Harper (6 for 66) and Jack Beaumont (3 for 74) shared nine wickets between them, Harper claiming ten in a match for the first time.
Beaumont also took a well-judged catch at fine leg off a top-edged sweep to remove opener Callum Guest for 73 to end a sixth-wicket stand of 54 with wicket-keeper Lee Thomason.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat on day one, Suffolk were in trouble at 37 for 3 off 14 overs, but Josh Cantrell’s 87 not out and partnership of 78 with Harper, who made 33, hoisted the home team to 244 all out off 79.3 overs.
Opening bowler Chris Steele (18-7-37-5) accounted for the top five and bagged his first five-wicket haul for Suffolk as Cambridgeshire were reduced to 120 for 6 in their reply.
The innings was revived by a partnership of 103 between Alex Peirson (58) and Mark Saunders (49) as Cambridgeshire took a first-innings lead of 25 after being dismissed for 269 from 89.4 overs.
Suffolk exercised great caution in their second innings, facing 262 dot balls from the 330 deliveries received on the second afternoon.
The fourth-wicket alliance of 81 between Darren Ironside (pictured above) and Alex Oxley (17 off 98) was terminated with the total of 175 – the first of three wickets to fall for one run in the space of 10 balls.
Ironside continued to defy the visitors’ attack before bringing up his century – the sixth of his Suffolk career – and being last out for 122 off 193 deliveries with 14 fours to set up an exciting run chase.
Suffolk head to Staffordshire, who can also claim the title, on Sunday for their final match of the season at Stafford CC.
Tags: Cambridgeshire, Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC, Darren Ironside, Jack Beaumont, NCCA Cluberly Championship, Tom Harper
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