Cambridge v Suffolk: NCCA Trophy preview

Both Suffolk and Cheshire have two wins from three matches, but Suffolk lead the group on run-rate as they head to Burwell & Exning CC to face Cambridgeshire, start 11am.

Norfolk have so far played twice, while both Cambridgeshire and Shropshire have played one match each.

All five teams have lost one match, and it is therefore possible that at least one of the two qualifiers for the quarter-finals will go through on run-rate.

Suffolk head coach Andy Northcote was, not surprisingly, pleased with his side’s performance as they overcame Norfolk by 103 runs at Horsford CC last Sunday.

Suffolk dismissed their hosts for 103, after winning the toss and posting 206 for 8 at Manor Park.

He said: “Last week proved that we can’t always follow the mould of the professional game when you have to deal with amateur conditions and so what our boys had to do is bat time, and bat long.

“Thankfully, we came out on top of the toss and then were able to control the game from there.”

Although Suffolk have lost to Cambridgeshire in the 50-overs-a-side competition in each of the last two seasons, Northcote is concentrating on his own team.

“I am not too worried about the opposition or the results of the past, we can focus only on what’s in our control.

“I have selected the best available players and am hopeful that if we play to our strengths, we will be smiling at the end of the day.

“Anything can happen in this group and that makes for an exciting finish to it. We have played exceptionally well in five of the six innings this year with heaps of positives so with two more innings in play, should we continue to perform and really play well, then we'll qualify.”

Suffolk Young Cricketer Freddie Cloud has been called-up as 12th man, but will not play.

Suffolk: Darren Batch, Jack Beaumont, Ben Claydon., George Rhodes, Alex Oxley, Josh Cantrell, Adam Mansfield (capt), Jacob Marston (wkt), Tom Harper, Dan Shanks, Alex Cruickshank. 12th man: Freddie Cloud.