Kyran Young and Jed Cawkwell both scored centuries as Suffolk closed in on victory in their Minor Counties Championship match away at Hertfordshire, following day two today.
Responding to Hertfordshire’s first innings total of 221 all out on day one, Suffolk posted a huge score of 418 for seven off their 90 overs, to take a 197-run lead going into the second innings.
And by the close tonight, the hosts had stumbled along to 172 for six, still 25 runs behind with just four wickets remaining.
Suffolk should therefore complete another victory tomorrow, following on from their big win over Norfolk (an innings and two runs) a fortnight ago.
Resuming on their overnight score of 144 for two, Young and Cawkwell enjoyed themselves on a good pitch at North Mymmes CC.
The duo put on a terrific 262 runs for the third wicket – a Suffolk record third wicket partnership, beating the 225 of Martyn Cull and Billy Root in 2014 – to take the score from 63 to 325.
Frinton captain Young hit 139 off 233 balls, with three sixes and 17 fours, before he was stumped by Ben Cowell off the bowling of Ben Waring.
As so often happens in these circumstances, following a big partnership, Cawkwell was also dismissed soon afterwards, having made 135 off 206 balls, with a six and 17 fours.
Quickfire middle order contributions from Mildenhall’s Ben Shepperson (28) and Copdock & OI’s Jack Beaumont (57 off just 22 balls) took the total beyond 400. Beaumont hit three sixes and five fours in his cameo.
In reply, a half-century from opener Joe Cooke failed to hold up Suffolk, for whom captain and wicketkeeper Adam Mansfield had the accolade of catching Herts’ top five batsmen. Mansfield also had the distinction of taking six catches in the first innings, including the top four.
Darren Ironside took three for 48 off 21 overs, and Oliver Bocking took two for 45 to add to his six wickets in the first innings.
Tom Rash took the other wicket to fall, that of a well-set Cooke, who was caught by Mansfield after a 92-ball stay for his 50.
Cooke was the second wicket to fall, with the score on 94, prompting a mini-collapse as the hosts lost five wickets for the addition of just 36 runs. Syed Kazmi and Cowell added an unbeaten 42 by the close.
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