Suffolk continued to play second fiddle to hosts Staffordshire, during day two of their first Minor Counties Championship fixture of the season at West Bromwich Dartmouth today.

The visitors were bowled out for 247 in their first innings, having resumed on an overnight score of 80 for four.

That saw them trail Staffordshire by 127 runs on first innings, and by the close the home county had extended their advantage to 340, with four second innings wickets still in tact. They finished on 213 for six.

A 71-run stand for the fifth wicket, between Suffolk skipper Adam Mansfield and Ben Shepperson, ended with the latter becoming Tim Maxfield’s first of four victims – Mildenhall stalwart Shepperson made 44 off 64 overs.

Mansfield brought up a half-century, but was then caught by wicketkeeper James Sookias off Maxfield for 50.

Suffolk slumped to 166 for eight, with the dismissals of the experienced duo of Michael Comber and Tom Rash, both to Maxfield, before youngsters Josh Cantrell and Jake Foley added 81 for the ninth wicket.

Cantrell struck 33 off 38 deliveries, while Foley hit nine boundaries in his well-constructed 48.

Suffolk really needed to take a glut of early wickets, to stay in the contest, but 80 not out from all-rounder Maxfield thwarted them.

Maxfield shared an unbroken stand of 73 with Brinder Phagura for the seventh wicket, to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb on the final day tomorrow.