A SECOND-WICKET stand of 203 between Martyn Cull and Tom Huggins put Suffolk in the ascendency on the second day of their Minor Counties Championship match against Bedfordshire yesterday.

After the opening day’s play at Bury St Edmunds had been entirely lost to the weather, Bedfordshire won the toss and chose to bowl.

The decision backfired as Cull and Huggins piled up the runs after the loss of Ben France, caught in the gully, in the 24th over.

Cull struck the ball beautifully, to the extent that he outscored Huggins at one stage two runs to one.

The pair, who hold Suffolk’s record partnership for the second wicket – 240 against Norfolk at Horsford in 2008 – stayed together until the last ball of the 65th over when Huggins top-edged slow left-armer Andy Reynoldson and was caught at slip two runs short of his century.

He had faced 208 balls and struck eleven fours.

Cull fell 20 runs later, bowled by a full length delivery after scoring 147 at a run-a-ball with 20 fours and one six.

Suffolk collected full batting points on reaching 325 and they continued batting, being bowled out two balls shy of the maximum 90 overs.

Sasha Ward recorded his highest score yet for Suffolk – 48 off just 42 deliveries – before being last man out.

Mutt Hunn struck with the third ball of the Bedfordshire reply, trapping ex-Derbyshire batsman Steve Stubbings plumb lbw.

He returned to bowl a second hostile spell and was rewarded with the wicket of Martin Weightman, caught down the leg side, just three overs before the extended 7.30pm close.

With Ben France picking up George Thurstance inbetween, Suffolk have five bonus points to the visitors’ four so far.

Suffolk will require 17 wickets in the day for victory when play resumes at 10.30am this morning.

SUFFOLK

First innings: T Huggins c Clayson b Reynoldson 98, B France c Thurstance b Griggs 21, M Cull b Esh 147, H Adnan c Swann b Reynoldson 38, S Guy st Arblaster b Reynoldson 1, S Ward lbw b Reynoldson 48, C Warn c Arblaster b Esh 6, J Bishop c Bendon b Reynoldson 10, C Swallow c Arblaster b Esh 2, T Rash c Weightman b Reynoldson 10, M Hunn not out 0. Extras 9. Total (off 89.4 overs) 390.

Fall: 1-62, 2-265, 3-285, 4-290, 5-327, 6-334, 7-355, 8-358, 9-390, 10-390.

Bowling: McGarry 11-1-46-0; Weightman 17-4-53-0; Griggs 12-2-40-1; Thurstance 2-0-8-0; Reynoldson 21.4-2-95-6; Esh 19-1-103-3; D Bendon 7-0-36-0.

BEDFORDSHIRE

First innings: S Stubbings lbw b Hunn 0, M Weightman c Warn b Hunn 37, G Thurstance b France 14, O Clayson not out 26,

C Griggs not out 2. Extras 9. Total (for 3 wkts, off 41 overs) 88.

Fall: 1-0, 2-39, 3-85.

Bowling: Hunn 8-4-12-2; Bishop 8-3-14-0; France 8-3-16-1, Swallow 10-2-27-0; Huggins 7-3-11-0.