MINOR Counties KO Cup holders Suffolk opened their defence of the trophy with a defeat to Northumberland yesterday.Northumberland won this group game at Gosforth CC on a faster scoring rate in a rain-affected match to condemn Suffolk to their first one-day defeat since 2005.

Nick Garnham

MINOR Counties KO Cup holders Suffolk opened their defence of the trophy with a defeat to Northumberland yesterday.

Northumberland won this group game at Gosforth CC on a faster scoring rate in a rain-affected match to condemn Suffolk to their first one-day defeat since 2005.

Rain and bad light yesterday morning delayed the start until 3pm and Suffolk, who were put into bat, reached 175 for seven in their innings in a match reduced to 33 overs-a-side.

Former Essex all-rounder Justin Bishop top-scored with 40 not out, which came from 32 balls and contained one six and one other boundary.

He shared in an unbroken eighth-wicket alliance worth 52 off only 34 balls with Phil Edwards, who was undefeated on 16, as Suffolk upped the tempo towards the end of their innings.

Northumberland needed to bat for a minimum of 10 overs for the result to stand, and they were required to score 54 in that time to be ahead of Suffolk's run rate.

In the event they reached 54 in the eighth over and stood on 76 for one after 10 overs. They were well-placed at 110 for two off only 16 overs when further rain forced the teams off the field at 6.30pm and the match was called off 20 minutes later.

Ian Pattison had made 58 from 32 balls laced with four fours as well as clearing the ropes on four occasions, although he was dropped by Hassan Adnan on his competitive Suffolk debut at long off on 35 in the tenth over with the total on 75.

Paul King, who had led the side in Friday's friendly against a Derbyshire XI, skippered Suffolk for the first time in a competitive match in place of Phil Caley, who was 12th man as the county look to the future.

Scoreboard

Northumberland won on faster scoring rate.

Suffolk

T Huggins c Parker b Muchall 18

B France lbw b Symington 34

A Mawson c Humble b Muchall 10

A Adnan lbw b Symington 3

N Lee lbw b Bridge 18

C Swallow b Muchall 3

C Warn c Rutherford b Bridge 14

J Bishop not out 40

P Edwards not out 16

Extras 19

Total (for 7 wkts) 175

Off 33 overs.

Bowling: Humble 7-2-20-0; Rutherford 6-1-33-0; Symington 7-0-36-2; Muchall 7-0-30-3; Bridge 5-0-33-2; Pattison 1-0-13-0.

Fall: 1-46, 2-69, 3-69, 4-77, 5-84, 6-103, 7-123.

Northumberland

S Birtwistle c King b France 26

A Worthy c Adnan b King 19

I Pattison not out 58

B Parker not out 4

Extras 3

Total (for 2 wkts) 110

Off 16 overs.

Bowling: McGarry 5-1-34-0; King 2-0-18-1; Edwards 2-0-19-0; Swallow 4-0-22-0; France 3-0-15-1.

Fall: 1-22, 2-45.