SUFFOLK'S reign as Minor Counties KO Cup holders ended in embarrassing fashion as they were thrashed by 150 runs by Staffordshire at Mildenhall yesterday.

Nick Garnham

SUFFOLK'S reign as Minor Counties KO Cup holders ended in embarrassing fashion as they were thrashed by 150 runs by Staffordshire at Mildenhall yesterday.

Although results elsewhere last week meant that Suffolk could no longer qualify for the quarter-final stage, no-one anticipated the holders would capitulate for just 62 in response to the visitors' 212 for six.

Will Purser was their tormentor-in-chief, returning figures of 8-4-14-5 as Suffolk were bowled out one ball short of 30 overs of their reply.

The medium pace opening bowler, who struck as early as the last ball of the second over when Tom Huggins shouldered arms and lost his off stump, troubled the batsmen as he moved the ball around during his spell.

Purser removed Nick Lee and Chris Warn in successive deliveries as Suffolk slumped to 15 for four and only a seventh wicket stand of 23 between skipper Justin Bishop and Phil Edwards saved Suffolk from even greater humiliation.

The pair came together in the 15th over and added 23 before Bishop was dismissed off the first ball of the 28th over.

The Bury St Edmunds all-rounder, who occupied the crease for 67 minutes and hit two boundaries from 57 balls faced, was eventually bowled by Craig Barker, who weighed in with three cheap wickets.

Bishop was the pick of the Suffolk attack, taking three for 39, after he won the toss and inserted Staffordshire.

Suffolk fielded well and kept the Staffs batsmen in check until the later stages when Mo Sheikh and Paul Goodwin cut loose.

They added 65 for the sixth wicket as 72 runs flowed from the final 7.4 overs once the 150 had been raised. Sheikh's innings of 52 spanned just 41 balls and contained two sixes and four fours.

Mildenhall scoreboard

Staffordshire won by 150 runs.

STAFFORDSHIRE

T Wilshaw c Mawson b Bishop 36

B Sims lbw b Edwards 10

G Cairns b Bishop 25

S Seadon b Huggins 13

R Harvey c Smith b Swallow 20

M Sheikh lbw b Bishop 52

P Goodwin not out 29

S Willott not out 13

Extras 14

Total (for 6 wkts) 212

Off 50 overs.

Did not bat: C Barker, G Morris, W Purser.

Bowling: Smith 9-0-48-0; King 6-2-17-0; Edwards 6-1-21-1; Bishop 10-2-39-3; Swallow 10-0-44-1; Huggins 9-1-42-1.

Fall: 1-48, 2-60, 3-83, 4-92, 5-118, 6-183.

SUFFOLK

T Huggins b Purser 1

A Mawson c Sims b Purser 7

M Cull lbw b Willott 4

N Lee c Barker b Purser 1

C Warn c Harvey b Purser 0

J Bishop b Barker 21

C Swallow c Goodwin b Purser 5

P Edwards b Barker 7

S Rees b Morris 3

P King lbw b Barker 4

M Smith not out 0

Extras 9

Total 62

Off 29.5 overs.

Bowling: Willott 6-1-13-1; Purser 8-4-14-5; Sheikh 5-2-7-0; Barker 6.5-1-15-3; Morris 4-1-9-1.

Fall: 1-7, 2-13, 3-15, 4-15, 5-19, 6-29, 7-52, 8-57, 9-61, 10-62.