SUFFOLK are set to bowl their first ball in the 2008 Minor Counties Championship tomorrow with director of cricket Kevin Brooks confident of a successful campaign.

Elvin King

SUFFOLK are set to bowl their first ball in the 2008 Minor Counties Championship tomorrow with director of cricket Kevin Brooks confident of a successful campaign.

Their first planned three-day game was washed out against Bedfordshire at Dunstable three weeks ago while Suffolk were eliminated from the one-day KO Trophy at the group stage.

Cumberland are the visitors to Ransomes Sports Club, Sidegate Avenue, Ipswich tomorrow (start 11am) in a contest sponsored by Biffa Waste Services.

Brooks said: “Realistically we need to win four games each year to top the Eastern Division group and having one of our six washed out is something we have to cope with.

“Our players have enough quality to do what is required, and we are looking to gain maximum points from the Cumberland game.”

Hassan Adnan, who played for Derbyshire last season, makes his Minor Counties Championship debut having a crucial batting role at number four.

Bury St Edmunds bowler Simon Rees will also be making his first Championship appearance.

And new coach Paul Jarvis, who took over from Andy Brown during the winter, has his first taste of a Suffolk three-day match with Brooks looking for an improvement after a rather stuttering start to this campaign.

“Andy's departure was forced upon us on his move to Derbyshire,” said Brooks.

“It has had no detrimental impact although it takes time for people to settle in. We also found this with Phil Caley stepping down as one-day captain this year.

“New faces can be a good thing, and they have freshened things up.”

Suffolk were unable to include batsman Andrew Mawson and fast bowler Martin Smith in their selection process as both have work commitments.

Colchester and East Essex players Andrew McGarry and Ben France are in the Suffolk side, with the Essex club having to do without their services in their national Cockspur Cup game tomorrow.

Entrance is free on all three days at Ransomes with ample boundary parking and refreshment facilities.

The squads

Suffolk: P J Caley, T B Huggins, B J France, N T Lee, H Adnan, C J Warn, C A Swallow, J E Bishop S Rees, P D King, A C McGarry.

Cumberland: J A Lowe, A I Gleave, S D Burrows, G J Pratt, J Miles, S J Kirwin, C E Moffatt, M Gorley, G N Dawson, C P Miller, M A Sharp.

WHEN Suffolk play at Ivry Street, Ipswich in a three-day game starting on July 6 there is a special lunch planned for Monday, July 7 at Ipswich School Great Hall.

National selector Geoff Miller will be the main speaker and tickets cost £27.50 (£275 for a table of ten) with more details available from Kevin Brooks on 07796 263234.