SUFFOLK cruised to a comfortable five-wicket win in their second Minor Counties KO Trophy group game of the season yesterday.

After losing at Berkshire in their opening Group Four match, Suffolk bounced back to defeat Lincolnshire with more than eight overs to spare at Ipswich School.

Suffolk, replying to the visitors’ 222 for eight in their 50 overs, overcame a shaky start after losing two wickets with only eight runs on the board as Adam Shepherd bowled both Ben France and Martyn Cull.

Tom Huggins and Hassan Adnan compiled a third-wicket partnership of 57 in 97 balls before Huggins fell for 24 in the 18th over.

That brought skipper Justin Bishop to the wicket and together with Adnan he put Suffolk on course for victory as they added 82 in 90 balls.

Bishop was first to go in the 32nd over, after scoring 41 from 52 balls with six fours. He was followed three overs later by ex-Derbyshire batsman Adnan, who was dismissed for 67 which occupied 82 deliveries and contained eight boundaries.

Any prospect of Suffolk throwing away the initiative was soon erased by Chris Warn and Chris Swallow, who saw their side home with an unbroken alliance of 53 in 44 balls.

Warn, who struck six fours, was undefeated on 36 from 40 balls and Swallow 15 not out as the winning runs came in the 42nd over, meaning teenager Scott Harvey was not called upon to bat on his debut.

Lincolnshire, who had batted upon winning the toss, made the worst possible start when Dan Birch was caught behind off the second ball of the match as Essex bowler Max Osborne, who bowled impressively, claimed the first of his three wickets.

Vikram Atri was out to the first ball of the ninth over and former Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire batsman Mat Dowman fell cheaply as Colchester & East Essex bowler Ben Stephens picked up his first wicket on his competitive debut for the county.

From 62 for three Lincolnshire rallied thanks to a stand of 52 from 89 deliveries between opener Martyn Dobson and Paul Cook, which was terminated in the 33rd over when Osborne caught Dobson for 46 at long-off.

John Morgan soon followed before Osborne held a steepling catch at deep mid-off to account for Cook just two balls later off the first ball of the 36th over.

Suffolk were then frustrated by a partnership of 81 in 82 balls between Liam Andrews and Brett Houston. Andrews was out in the 49th over and Shepherd went for a duck as Houston top-scored with 52 not out off 47 balls.

Suffolk’s next match is away to Norfolk at Manor Park on Sunday, May 29.

Ivry Street scorecard

LINCOLNSHIRE

D Birch c Warn b Osborne 0, M Dobson c Osborne b Finch 46, Vikram Atri c Cull b Osborne 17, M Dowman c Swallow b Stephens 8,P Cook c Osborne b Huggins 23, J Morgan c France b Finch 7, L Andrews b Osborne 32, B Houston not out 52, A Shepherd c Huggins b Swallow 0, S Crossley not out 0. Extras 37. Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 222.

Did not bat: C Cheer.

Fall: 1-0, 2-30, 3-62, 4-114, 5-126, 6-126, 7-207, 8-220.

Bowling: Osborne 10-1-41-3; Stephens 9-1-32-1; France 5-1-13-0; Swallow 10-0-61-1; Finch 10-0-36-2; Huggins 6-1-26-1.

SUFFOLK

T Huggins b Houston 24, B France b Shepherd 0, M Cull b Shepherd 1, H Adnan lbw b Dowman 67, J Bishop lbw b Cheer 41, C Warn not out 36, C Swallow not out 15. Extras 40. Total (for 5, 41.1 overs) 224. Did not bat: S Harvey, M Osborne, J Finch, B Stephens.

Fall: 1-3, 2-8, 3-65, 4-147, 5-171.

Bowling: Shepherd 10-1-55-2; Cheer 10-0-58-1; Houston 9.4-3-37-1; Dowman 6-0-28-1; Dobson 5-0-27-0; Andrews 1-0-11-0.

Suffolk won by 5 wkts.