SUFFOLK face a struggle to get back into their penultimate Minor Counties Championship Eastern Division game after they suffered a batting collapse against Buckinghamshire at Burnham yesterday.

By Elvin King

SUFFOLK face a struggle to get back into their penultimate Minor Counties Championship Eastern Division game after they suffered a batting collapse against Buckinghamshire at Burnham yesterday.

Phil Caley's side was 52 for four after the home side amassed 351 for nine in their allotted 90 overs.

Nick Lee and Chris Swallow both failed to trouble the scorers, while Ben France - playing no stroke - and Andrew Mawson also fell cheaply.

It will take an heroic batting recovery if Suffolk are to get close to the Bucks total in this three-day game.

Bucks skipper Paul Atkins won the toss and after the loss of two early wickets the home team built steadily with Atkins and Paul Sawyer putting on 117 for the fourth wicket.

Atkins, who struck his half century in 98 balls, was run out by Caley with Suffolk reasonably happy to have Bucks on 259 for six after 80 overs.

But in their final 10 overs Bucks accelerated to reach 351, with 33-year-old Chris Sketchley striking five fours and one six in his 47.

Spinner Swallow wheeled manfully away for 29 overs while fellow slow bowler Tom Huggins sent down 17 overs in hot conditions.

Huggins was not out overnight and much will depend on him if Suffolk are to avoid their second defeat in two matches - after going almost two years unbeaten in all competitions.

Burnham scoreboard

Buckinghamshire First innings

K Medlycott c Warn b Smith 1

A Hales c Warn b Edwards 4

W Miller c Smith b Bishop 19

P Atkins run out 73

P Sawyer c Edwards b France 69

T Brooks c Warn b Bishop 28

J Harrison c Caley b Huggins 20

C Sketchley lbw Swallow 47

P Sampson not out 28

A Wynd c Bishop b Huggins 39

S Stanway not out 1

Extras 22

Total (for 9 wkts, 90 overs) 351

Fall: 1-4, 2-8, 3-34, 4-151, 5-195, 6-220, 7-277, 8-279, 9-340.

Bowling: Smith 7-2-13-1, Edwards 7-1-11-1, Bishop 10-1-45-2, King 11-1-43-0, France 9-2-33-1, Swallow 29-6-117-1, Huggins 17-1-77-2.

Suffolk First innings

T Huggins not out 14

B France b Sampson 7

A Mawson lbw Stanway 6

N Lee c Miller b Sampson 0

C Swallow c Wynd b Sawyer 0

C Warn not out 9

Extras 16

Total (for 4 wkts, 18 overs) 52

Fall: 1-25, 2-32, 3-37, 4-43

Bowling: Sampson 7-3-14-2, Sawyer 4-1-24-1, Stanway 5-2-11-1, Sketchley 2-1-2-0.

Bonus points: Bucks 5, Suffolk 4.