CHESHIRE skipper Andy Hall has warned Suffolk not to expect a cosy visit to Lord's next Monday.Two of the strongest Minor Counties Championship sides over the last few years meet in the final of the Knock-Out Trophy in a game to be played over 50 overs a side with an 11am start.

By Elvin King

CHESHIRE skipper Andy Hall has warned Suffolk not to expect a cosy visit to Lord's next Monday.

Two of the strongest Minor Counties Championship sides over the last few years meet in the final of the Knock-Out Trophy in a game to be played over 50 overs a side with an 11am start.

Hall is still smarting over comments made by Suffolk coach Andy Brown after the 2005 Minor Counties play-off final at Ransomes Sports ground, Ipswich.

The game ended in a tame draw with both sides sharing the pennant after Suffolk won the Eastern Division and Cheshire the Western Division.

Brown accused Cheshire of not attempting to make a game of it when they batted their second innings to 279, giving Suffolk no run chase.

And this has not been forgotten by the free-scoring Hall.

He said: “We will be going to Lord's to have a jolly. We feel we have some unfinished business to attend to.

“What was said after the play-off final two years ago was unbelievable.

“We lost the first day through bad weather, and we were not going to throw away a share of the overall championship. It meant much more to us than that.

“What the Suffolk coach said was nonsense and I believe he is still working for the team.”

Cheshire are unbeaten this year and are seeking to become only the fourth team to win the Minor Counties Championship and Trophy double. Staffordshire (1991 and 1993) and Devon (1994) are the previous double winners.

Cheshire won the trophy three times, but only once at Lord's - in 1996 when they beat Bedfordshire.

In 1983 they beat Bedfordshire at Macclesfield and in 1987 they defeated Cambridgeshire at Christchurch.

While Cheshire won the 2007 Western Division title by 10 points, Suffolk finished fourth in the eastern section behind champions Northumberland, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

Suffolk have been allocated the home dressing room on Monday, while the match will be played in Cheshire if it is rained off on Monday.

Sunday, September 16 has been set aside for the restaging, with Cheshire winning the toss to stage the game.