All-rounder Tom Rash said the Cricket Gods looked after Suffolk following the county’s qualification for the quarter-finals of this season’s Unicorns Trophy.

Suffolk beat Bedfordshire by six runs in the first full Minor Counties match to be staged at Woolpit Cricket Club on Sunday.

The hosts had looked on course for a comfortable victory when they reduced Bedfordshire to 144 for nine in pursuit of Suffolk’s 261 for six off their allotted 50 overs.

But a century last-wicket stand between Callum Berrill and No.11 Kamran Anwar saw the visitors reduce the target to just seven required off the final three balls.

Matt Salisbury then bowled Anwar for 68, leaving Berrill unbeaten on 65 and Suffolk victors by six runs – a win that earned Suffolk runners-up spot in Group 4 on run-rate.

Suffolk will travel to Berkshire on Sunday, June 11th in their first quarter-final appearance since losing to Devon by 138 runs at Bury St Edmunds in 2014.

Copdock & Old Ipswichian skipper Rash, who top-scored in Suffolk’s innings with 82 not out and then took two wickets in Bedfordshire’s reply said: “It’s a funny old game cricket to see a lad bat like that at No.11 is unbelievable really.

“It didn’t matter where we bowled at him he somehow managed to find the boundary and played an exceptional innings that had us all a little bit nervy.

“Thankfully the Cricket Gods looked after us at the end and we are really pleased to have won.”

Rash, who put on 110 with Darren Batch for Suffolk’s fifth wicket, continued: “We are great mates and get on really well and we complement each other the way we play – he hits in different areas to me, so I reckon it is probably quite difficult for the bowlers to settle against us.

“We just said to each other we will enjoy it and play our way and we got our rewards.

“I was really pleased with my strike rate. I have felt really good this year, but I haven’t had a lot of luck so far and I got a little bit today and cashed in.”