SUFFOLK will be looking to close in on a first Minor Counties Championship win of the season against Cambridgeshire at Wisbech today.

The home side have a lead of exactly 100 with only three second innings wickets still intact after an absorbing second day.

Suffolk, resuming on their overnight score of 86 for two – 165 runs behind – were indebted to a sixth-wicket stand of 140 between wicket-keeper Chris Warn and skipper Justin Bishop.

The pair came together in the 33rd over after the visitors had lost three wickets in a testing first hour’s play.

Ben France added just four to his overnight total before being caught at slip and debutant Ben Shepperson was bowled by a corking ball from Joe Barrs, who also dismissed Hassan Adnan.

Warn scored 89 off 136 balls, striking 17 fours, before he tried to lift the ball over mid on once too often and miscued his shot, sub fielder Chris Budd taking the catch.

Tom Huggins, batting down the order because of a bad back, lasted just five balls, and then Bishop was bowled for 63 . He had faced 119 deliveries and struck eight fours.

Tom Rash soon followed but debutant Tom Robotham ensured Suffolk of a third batting point with a straight drive for four.

The lead of 28 was disappointing bearing in mind Suffolk’s last five wickets fell for 18, but they struck back to reduce their hosts to 50 for five, Matt Hunn claiming three wickets, with Warn also completing a smart stumping off Ben France.

Huggins weighed in with two more to leave Cambridgeshire 86 for seven, before Paul McMahon and Paul Summerskill added what could be a crucial 42 runs.

WISBECH SCOREBOARD

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

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

SUFFOLK

First innings (continued from 86 for 2 overnight): B France c Goosen b Williams 46, H Adnan b Barrs 27, B Shepperson b Barrs 1,

C Warn c sub b Barrs 89, J Bishop b Barrs 63, T Huggins c Summerskill b Barrs 0, T Rash lbw b Bruce 0, M Hunn b McMahon 2, T Robotham not out 5. Extras 30. Total (80.3 overs) 279.

Fall: 3-97, 4-102, 5-121, 6-261, 7-261, 8-272, 9-272, 10-279.

Bowling: Barrs 25-5-100-5; Williams 15-2-58-2; McMahon 14.3-3-38-1; Dawborn 7-2-29-0; Bruce 12-4-25-1, Bicknell 7-0-19-0.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Second innings

P Richer b Hunn 2, A Fullerton b Bishop 8, D Bicknell lbw b Hunn 5, C Thompson st Warn b France 16, G Goosen lbw b Hunn 5,

L Bruce c Cull b Huggins 24, J Williams c Shepperson b Huggins 5, P McMahon not out 31, P Summerskill not out 13. Extras 19. Total (for 7 wkts, 47 overs) 128.

Fall:1-13, 2-17, 3-21, 4-39, 5-50, 6-64, 7-86.

Bowling: Bishop 12-1-23-1; Hunn 12-2-45-3; France 11-2-40-1; Huggins 12-6-16-2.

Cambridgeshire 6pts, Suffolk 7pts