The former Essex duo of Jaik Mickleburgh and Michael Comber both produced terrific individual displays to put Suffolk in complete control of their Unicorns Minor Counties Championship match against Northumberland, following day one of three at South Northumberland today.

Mickelburgh plundered 218 not out as Suffolk accrued a formidable total of 424 for four declared, off 90 overs, after captain Adam Mansfield had won the toss and elected to bat.

And Comber then struck with four wickets during the evening session to reduce Northumberland to a dismal 65 for five, leaving the hosts 359 runs behind with just five first innings wickets in tact.

All in all, it was a fantastic first day for Suffolk, who had been so unlucky not to win their first Championship match of the season against Buckinghamshire, when a last day washout denied them an almost certain victory.

But they were soon piling on the agony against Northumberland, with Mickleburgh and the consistent Martyn Cull putting on 147 for the first wicket.

Cull was eventually caught by wicketkeeper Bradley Yates off the bowling of Oliver McGhee for 63, accumulated off 110 balls.

The dominant Mickleburgh then received good support from youngster Alex Oxley, who made a patient 39 off 99 balls before he was run out with the total on 232.

Mickleburgh added a further 49 runs for the third wicket, with Mildenhall captain Ben Shepperson (25), and 35 for the fourth wicket with Sudbury’s Ben Reece (18), before he and Copdock & Old Ipswichian skipper Tom Rash then shared an unbeaten stand of 108 for the fifth wicket.

Rash finished on 51 not out, striking seven fours in his 40-ball stay, but it was Mickleburgh who took the main plaudits.

Released by Essex last summer, after nine years with the first-class county, Mickleburgh made his 218 off a little over a run-a-ball (227 balls), striking a remarkable 30 boundaries and a six.

In reply, Northumberland were soon reeling as ex-Essex bowler Comber, the former Bury St Edmunds captain and current Frinton all-rounder, removed all of their four batsmen to claim figures of 10-5-28-4. An in-form Hugo Douglas then claimed the big wicket of skipper Jacques Du Toit, caught and bowled, to leave Suffolk in a great position.