SUFFOLK will enter day two of their final Minor Counties Championship match of the season in a strong position.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first against Lincolnshire at Ipswich School yesterday, Suffolk were bowled out for 249, but then reduced their visitors to 60 for six.

Suffolk made an inauspicious start when in only the third over of the innings, opener Ben France was struck on the back of the head by an Adam Shepherd delivery and had to retire hurt.

France, who made a century for Suffolk in their last match at Staffordshire, was taken to hospital, but was given the all-clear and although he took no further part yesterday, is expected to return today.

Martyn Cull replaced him and together with Tom Huggins added a further 112 runs for the first wicket, before Huggins was dismissed for 56 off 120 balls just after lunch.

Hassan Adnan followed soon after, caught at the wicket, and only a further four runs had been added when Cull was out for 58 from 124 deliveries with eight fours.

Ben Shepperson lobbed a short ball to gully to leave Suffolk 135 for four, but Sasha Ward and Chris Warn then added 38, before Warn was leg before sweeping.

Ward batted well for his 35 until he chipped one to short extra cover, Chris Swallow was also trapped lbw sweeping, and 17-year-old James Poulson faced a barrage of short balls until he was caught at gully. Skipper Justin Bishop then hit out before Perishing caught at square leg.

If Suffolk’s total appeared below-par on what is usually a good batting wicket, it looked a good score as Lincolnshire subsequently collapsed in their reply.

Poulson, opening the bowling in the absence of France, struck with his medium pace away swingers to remove Dan Birch lbw for an eight-ball duck.

Wicket-keeper Chris Warn scooped up a one-handed catch just above the ground to account for Vikram Atri, before the visitors lost four wickets with the total on 34.

Conrad Louth was first to fall, drilling the ball back at Swallow, who parried it up into the air and held the rebound. Tom Craddock was also introduced into the attack and his first ball saw opener James Morgan mistime a pull shot and Craddock ran back behind the stumps to take the catch.

Captain Paul Cook was smartly caught third ball in the slips one-handed by Bishop and worse was to follow for the visitors as Liam Andrews was caught behind first ball.

SUFFOLK

First Innings: T Huggins c Louth b Houston 56, B France ret hurt 0, M Cull c Burford b Houston 58, H Adnan c Burford b Shepherd 3, S Ward c Andrews b Darke 35, B Shepperson c Louth b Shepherd 5, C Warn lbw b Houston 18, C Swallow lbw b Andrews 15, J Bishop c Young b Shepherd 20, J Poulson c Louth b Shepherd 12, T Craddock not out 7. Extras 20. Total (for 9 wkts, 82.3 overs) 249.

Fall: 1-117, 2-124-2, 3-128, 4-135, 5-173, 6- 205, 7-212, 8-232, 9-249.

Bowling: Shepherd 22.3-3-77-4; Darke 13-2-31-1; Houston 17-3-32-3; Bariwala 19-4-63-0; Andrews 11-1-35-1.

LINCOLNSHIRE

First innings: D Birch lbw b Poulson 0, J Morgan c&b Craddock 16, V Atri c Warn b Poulson 10, C Louth c&b Swallow 2, P Cook c Bishop b Swallow 0, O Burford not out 16, L Andrews c Warn b Swallow 0, B Houston not out 9. Extras 7. Total (for 6 wkts, 24 overs) 60.

Fall: 1-3, 2-19, 3-34, 4-34, 5-34, 6-34.

Did not bat yesterday: A Bariwala, A Shepherd, J Darke.

Bowling: Bishop 6-2-17-0; Poulson 6-1-15-2; Swallow 6-2-9-3; Craddock 6-2-18-1.

Suffolk 4pts, Lincolnshire 4pts