SUFFOLK saw their second Minor Counties KO Cup group game condemned to a watery grave yesterday.Norfolk had reached 154 for nine from 48 of their allotted 50 overs at Horsford before the weather had the final say and the game was abandoned in late afternoon.

SUFFOLK saw their second Minor Counties KO Cup group game condemned to a watery grave yesterday.

Norfolk had reached 154 for nine from 48 of their allotted 50 overs at Horsford before the weather had the final say and the game was abandoned in late afternoon.

James Spelman scored 53 for the home team, who found runs hard to come by during their innings after being put into bat by Suffolk, for whom debutants Martin Smith and Philip Edwards took three wickets apiece and Tom Huggins took a couple of smart catches.

Kevin Brooks, Suffolk's director of cricket, said afterwards: “It was always going to be difficult batting as it was damp to start with, so it was a good toss to win.

“Both Martin and Phil will be the first to admit that they were nice conditions to bowl in, but obviously you have to take advantage of those conditions, and both of them can be pleased with their performances.

“It always looked like it could rain at any stage throughout Norfolk's innings, and when the rain eventually came there was no respite.

“If we can take anything from the game it is that after the sort of week we have had behind the scenes it was encouraging to see the performances of Martin and Phil.”

Smith, who captains Clacton in the East Anglian Premier League, and Edwards, who played for Cambridge University and Cambridge Granta last season and is now with Old Hill in the Birmingham League, were pressed into action due to the loss of frontline bowlers Andrew McGarry and Justin Bishop.

McGarry was in the Essex squad for yesterday's Friends Provident Trophy match in Ireland but did not play, while Bishop is nursing a hamstring injury. Chris Schofield was also absent as he was in the Surrey squad for yesterday's washed out Friends Provident Trophy match against Middlesex.

With Lincolnshire's game against Bedfordshire washed out without a ball being bowled, at least Suffolk have not lost any ground in their group.

Brooks added: “Despite the frustrations of today we are very much in control of our own destiny.”

Suffolk face Lincolnshire in the third of their four scheduled group games at Woodbridge School on Sunday, start 11am.

Manor Park scoreboard

No result (1pt each)

Norfolk

C Amos c Huggins b Edwards 2

CJ Rogers c Huggins b Edwards 3

JM Spelman c France b Swallow 53

TR Ward c France b Smith 11

CR Borrett c Mawson b France 15

JC Mickleburgh b Edwards 19

LTS Newton st Warn b Swallow 2

C Brown not out 26

IR Slegg lbw b Smith 0

MP Eccles b Smith 4

RJ Austin not out 0

Extras (b8 lb1 w6 nb4) 19

Total (9 wkts, 48 overs) 154

Fall: 1-8, 2-11, 3-35, 4-61, 5-114, 6-116, 7-119, 8-121, 9-135.

Bowling: Smith 10-2-25-3; Edwards 10-1-26-3; King 9-0-37-0; France 8-1-21-1; Huggins 5-0-18-0; Swallow 6-0-18-2.

Suffolk: TB Huggins, BJ France, AD Mawson, GD James, PD Edwards, CJ Warn, NT Lee, PJ Caley, CA Swallow, PD King and M Smith.