SUFFOLK enjoyed the better of a fascinating second day's play against Northumberland in their Minor Counties Championship clash at Jesmond yesterday.But three late wickets for Northumberland saw Phil Caley's side finish on 265 for seven off 66 overs, an overall lead of 306 with three wickets in hand, to set up an interesting final day's play.

SUFFOLK enjoyed the better of a fascinating second day's play against Northumberland in their Minor Counties Championship clash at Jesmond yesterday.

But three late wickets for Northumberland saw Phil Caley's side finish on 265 for seven off 66 overs, an overall lead of 306 with three wickets in hand, to set up an interesting final day's play.

The hosts had resumed on their overnight score of 111 for three, still 154 runs behind with the experienced pair Bradley Parker and Phil Nicholson at the crease. Andrew McGarry made the initial breakthrough when he had former Yorkshire batsman Parker caught by Caley in the gulley for 23. There was further success for Suffolk when Ian Pattison was run out from only the second ball he faced to leave the home side tottering on 151 for five.

Former Durham all-rounder Marc Symington was the next batsman to be sent back to the pavilion when he was caught by Caley off Ben France for 10.

With the capture of wickets at regular intervals, Suffolk were hopeful of gaining a substantial first innings lead in the sunny conditions.

The seventh wicket went down as Graeme Bridge skied a catch to Martyn Cull at midwicket off France. Nicholson, who had played the anchor role, had reached 25 before he was trapped leg before by Justin Bishop just before lunch.

A stubborn ninth-wicket stand of 47 between David Rutherford and Jonny Whiteman, kept the visitors at bay before Bishop duly mopped up the Northumerland tail.

With a first innings lead of 41, opening batsmen Tom Huggins and France threatened to take the game away from the hosts with a fine 117 partnership.

France had made 45, including six fours, when their stand was broken from the last ball before tea, courtesy of a catch behind the stumps by Nicholson.

Northumberland quickly snapped up the wickets of Cull for five and Hassan Adnan for a duck, in quick succession, to leave the Eastern Division leaders on 134 for three, a lead of 175.

Huggins was the next to go when he fell to Nicholson's third catch of the innings off Paul Muchall for a fine 93 which had included 17 boundaries.

Warn and Nick Lee combined well again in a fruitful start of 73 before the home side hit back taking three wickets for 16 in seven overs.

Whiteman accounted for Lee (24) and Caley, who fell for just three, before spinner Bridge captured the vital wicket of Warn (63), to leave the game in the balance.

Northumberland

First innings

(Overnight 111 for 3)

B Parker c Caley b McGarry 23

P B Nicholson lbw b Bishop 25

I Pattison run out 0

M J Symington c Caley b France 10

G Bridge, c Cole b France 11

D J Rutherford c Warn b Bishop 27

J Whiteman not out 18

G Stewart b Bishop 4

Extras 31

Total (69.5overs) 234

Fall: 4-151; 5-151; 6-164; 7-176; 8-183; 9-230; 10-234.

Bowling: Smith 16-1-62-0; Bishop 17.5-4-72-4; McGarry 12-3-44-1; France 15-5-28-3; Swallow 9-0-18-1.

Suffolk

First innings: 275

Second Innings

TB Huggins c Nicholson b Muchall 93

B J France c Nicholson b Rutherford 45

M G Cull lbw b Rutherford 5

H Adnan c Nicholson b Symington 0

C J Warn lbw b Bridge 63

N T Lee c Parker b Whiteman 24

P J Caley b Whiteman 3

C A Swallow not out 10

J E Bishop not out 0

Extras 21

Total (for 7 wkts, 66 overs) 265

Fall: 1-117; 2-133; 3-134; 4-173; 5-246; 6-250; 7-262.

Bowling: Whiteman 14-0-96-2; Stewart 7-0-31-0; Rutherford 17-7-44-2; Symington 12-4-34-1; Muchall 5-0-36-1; Bridge 11-4-12-1; Pattison 2-0-2-0.

Bonus points to date: Northumberland 6, Suffolk 7