SUFFOLK are still in with a chance of winning the Minor Counties Championship Eastern Division - if they can manufacture a win against Lincolnshire in their final game today.

By Elvin King

SUFFOLK are still in with a chance of winning the Minor Counties Championship Eastern Division - if they can manufacture a win against Lincolnshire in their final game today.

Suffolk are in a reasonable position after the first day at Grantham, while their title rivals Norfolk and Cambridgeshire are both far from certain of winning.

Cumberland made a big score against Cambridgeshire, while Norfolk were 32 for five after hosts Staffordshire made more than 200.

All three contenders had their opening day washed out on Sunday, and if Suffolk can gain 16 points for a win today - and collect a couple more bowling bonus points - they will be in a strong position.

Northumberland, who began their final game one point behind Suffolk, cannot be discounted.

Nick Lee was the Suffolk batting hero a week before Phil Caley's side play Cheshire at Lord's in the final of the Knock-Out Trophy.

He scored a half-century in 124 balls, and struck one six and four fours in his innings.

The top order gave him good support until Caley put in big-hitters Paul King and Phil Edwards to try to increase the run rate as 225 was reached to confirm two batting bonus points before the declaration.

Edwards took the first two Lincs wickets on a day when the sun appeared occasionally and 113 overs were possible before played ended at 7pm.

Home skipper Matt Dowman is unbeaten on 91 with Lincs expected to make a declaration before too many more overs are bowled.

If Suffolk can polish off the tail quickly then so much the better, but it looks as though they will be looking to set the bottom-of-the-table home side a target of around 225 in the final 40 overs or so.

Suffolk went into their final game 11 points behind Norfolk and five behind Cambs.

Grantham scoreboard

SUFFOLK

First innings

T Huggins c Burford b Airey 15

B France c Burford b Ball 36

A Mawson c Dobson b Ball 34

N Lee not out 67

C Swallow b Dobson 22

P King c Fell b Hopkins 8

P Edwards c sub b Hopkins 5

J Bishop not out 11

Extras 27

Total (for 6 dec, 60.1 overs) 225

Fall of wkts: 1-32, 2-58, 3-129, 4-173, 5-190, 6-198.

Bowling: Airey 15-2-36-1, Brice 3-1-12-0, Hopkins 15.1-4-48-2, Ball 17-3-45-2, Dowman 3-0-9-0, Dobson 7-0-54-1.

LINCOLNSHIRE

First innings

M Dowman not out 91

M Dobson b Edwards 19

J Bentley lbw Edwards 2

P Morgan c Edwards b Bishop 10

P Cook c Edwards b King 33

M Fell not out 4

Extras 7

Total (for 4, 49 overs) 166

Fall of wkts: 1-35, 2-37, 3-61, 4-162.

Bowling: Smith 6-0-39-0, Edwards 11-2-31-2, King 11-0-33-1, Bishop 8-2-19-1, France 7-2-20-0, Swallow 6-1-21-0.