SUFFOLK had the better of the exchanges on day one of their Minor Counties Championship match against Northumberland at Jesmond yesterday.

After being asked to bat and bowled out for 232, Suffolk fought back to reduce their hosts to 106 for five at the close of play.

Suffolk, who gave debuts to batsman Archie Gravell, 20, and bowler Tom Rash, 28, recovered from 131 for seven as batsmen found runs hard to come by.

Tom Huggins was bowled by a good delivery from Guy Saxton in the sixth over, and three overs later Martyn Cull was caught behind to give medium pacer Marc Symington the first of his five-wicket haul.

Hassan Adnan, whose 38 came off only 47 balls with six fours, shared a third-wicket stand of 55 from 56 balls with Ben France before Adnan was caught at mid on in the 18th over. Worse was to follow for Suffolk as skipper Justin Bishop edged behind without further addition to the total.

Chris Warn struck four boundaries and one six in his 30 before he skied an attempted pull high into the air and was caught at point, and three runs later Gravell was trapped in front for just a single.

France was clearly unhappy with being adjudged leg before as Suffolk slumped to 131 for seven to bring Rash to the wicket in the 30th over. He added 50 in 133 balls in 69 minutes with Finch, who hit four fours and a six before Rash called him for a quick single to the covers and Finch was beaten by Daniel Shurben’s return to the keeper.

Rash was next to go for 28 after a 27-run stand with Phil Edwards, who contributed three fours and a six before becoming Maxted’s third catch to bring the innings to a close.

Edwards took just five balls of Northumberland’s reply to strike the first blow for the visitors, Mark Dale being caught behind, and in the 12th over Shurben was lbw on the back foot to off spinner Finch.

Four overs later Finch struck again, Gary Scott top-edging to Warn standing up, and in the very next over Finch leapt to his right at second slip to take a superb catch to account for Michael Turns as a second wicket fell with the total on 45.

Daniel Young was lbw playing no shot off the last ball of the 29th over to leave Northumberland 76 for five before Symington and Chris Hooker staged a recovery, adding 30 without being separated before stumps.

JESMOND SCOREBOARD

SUFFOLK

First innings: T Huggins b Saxton 14, H Adnan c Hooker b Symington 38, M Cull c Maxted b Symington 0, B France lbw b Symington 19, J Bishop c Maxted b Symington 0, C Warn c Young b Hooker 30, A Gravell lbw b Symington 1, J Finch run out 32, T Rash lbw b Symington 28, P Edwards c Maxted b Hooker 33, M Hunn not out 3. Extras 34. Total (off 76.1 overs) 232.

Fall: 1-25, 2-31, 3-86, 4-86, 5-117, 6-120, 7-131, 8-181, 9-218, 10-232.

Bowling: Waterson 9-0-54-1; Saxton 8-0-40-1; Symington 33-8-53-5; Hooker 13.1-3-38-2; Fearon 13-4-30-0.

NORTHUMBERLAND

First innings: M Dale c Warn b Edwards 0, D Shurben lbw b Finch 16, M Turns c Finch b Bishop 15, G Scott c Warn b Finch 8, D Young lbw b France 18, M Symington not out 20, C Hooker not out 17. Extras 12. Total (for 5 wkts, off 40 overs) 106.

Fall: 1-0, 2-27, 3-45, 4-45, 5-76.

Bowling: Edwards 7-2-22-1; Hunn 5-2-9-0; Finch 11-2-18-2; Bishop 7-1-26-1; France 6-0-17-1.

Northumberland 4pts, Suffolk 4pts.