SUFFOLK suffered an agonising six-run defeat to Cambridgeshire in their Minor Counties Championship match at Wisbech yesterday.

Set 150 to win after Cambridgeshire, who had resumed on 128 for seven were bowled out for 177 in their second innings, Suffolk were dismissed for 143.

They were left to reflect that their hosts got away from them after being 86 for seven in their second innings.

The visitors lost Ben France in the fifth over, playing on an attempted pull shot, and opening partner Sasha Ward followed six overs later.

Martyn Cull dug in at one end and Hassan Adnan stayed with him until three balls after lunch. Ben Shepperson and Chris Warn both fell lbw to Lewis Bruce, to leave Suffolk 70 for five.

Cull and Bishop, coming together in the 28th over, added 41 vital runs in ten overs as Bishop took the attack to the bowlers.

He was unhappy to be adjudged lbw with the score on Nelson, after scoring 28 off 24 balls with five fours and a six.

Cull sank to his knees and held his head in his hands after his 110-ball stay at the crease ended when he chased a wide ball and toe-ended it to be caught in the covers.

Tom Huggins, still suffering with a bad back, looked unhappy after he was given out leg before second ball for five – four overthrows having come off his first ball.

Tom Rash was caught in the slips by former Surrey batsman Darren Bicknell, and after facing 20 balls without scoring Matt Hunn was run out after being sent back trying to take a single to fine leg.

To add insult to injury Suffolk, as well as Cambridgeshire, were later deducted two points for a slow over rate.

WISBECH SCOREBOARD

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

First innings: 251 (P McMahon 39, P Richer 35, M Hunn 3 for 36).

Second innings (continued from 128 for 7 overnight): P McMahon b Hunn 43, P Summerskill c Warn b Bishop 15, J Barrs lbw b Bishop 0, J Dawborn not out 25. Extras 19. Total (59.2 overs) 177.

Fall: 8-139, 9-141, 10-177.

Bowling: Bishop 18-1-53-3; Hunn 18.2-3-64-4; France 11-2-40-1; Huggins 12-6-16-2.

SUFFOLK

First innings: 279 (C Warn 89, J Bishop 63, J Barrs 5 for 100).

Second innings: B France b Barrs 9, S Ward b McMahon 8, M Cull c Bruce b Barrs 33, H Adnan lbw b Barrs 11, B Shepperson lbw b Bruce 14, C Warn lbw b Bruce 6, J Bishop lbw b Williams 28, T Rash c Bicknell b Bruce 9, T Huggins lbw b Bruce 5, M Hunn run out 0, T Robotham not out 1. Extras 19. Total (48 overs) 143.

Fall: 1-18, 2-26, 3-40, 4-58, 5-70, 6-111, 7-134, 8-139, 9-142, 10-143.

Bowling: Barrs 15-2-58-3; Williams 8-1-24-1; McMahon 9-5-5-1; Bruce 16-3-54-4.

Cambridgeshire (20pts), Suffolk 5pts