TOM Craddock claimed six wickets as Suffolk wrapped up a 156-run victory over Lincolnshire yesterday to end their Minor Counties Championship season on a high.

The 23-year-old Essex leg spinner, who was playing only his second match for Suffolk on a dual registration, finished with figures of 20-2-88-6 at Ipswich School.

Lincolnshire, resuming on 32 for one and requiring another 331 to win, had advanced to 62 in the 24th over of the innings before Vikram Atri was caught behind.

That wicket, which fell 56 minutes into the final day’s play, sparked a collapse among the visiting batsmen.

By the time lunch was taken at 1.20pm Lincolnshire were 188 for eight, after losing seven wickets in only 84 minutes.

Suffolk required a further 22 minutes after the resumption to complete their only three-day victory of what has been a largely frustrating season due to the poor weather.

Dangerman Dan Birch, whose 54 occupied 90 balls and included seven fours and two sixes, lost his middle stump to off spinner Chris Swallow’s arm ball in the 31st over.

Three balls later Conrad Louth fell to an instinctive one-handed catch by Martyn Cull at short leg, the ball sticking in the palm as he thrust out his left hand.

Seven runs later Paul Cook top-edged a pull and Craddock completed the catch off his own bowling, and then he had Ollie Burford caught behind flashing.

Liam Andrews was lbw pushing forward to Craddock in the 42nd over, before Saeed Bariwala played defensively to a Tom Huggins delivery and the ball rolled back gently into his stumps.

Brett Houston and Adam Shepherd added 29 runs before lunch, but without further any addition to the total thereafter Shepherd square cut a long hop to short extra cover and Sasha Ward took a tumbling catch.

Houston, whose 50 came from 54 balls with seven fours, then mistimed a pull to substitute fielder Simon Guy at mid-wicket.

Hassan Adnan was afterwards presented with a mocked-up photograph to commemorate his century scored at Bury St Edmunds earlier this season as a memento to mark his final appearance for the county.

LINCOLNSHIRE

First innings: 165 (O Burford 47).

Second innings: D Birch b Swallow 54, Vikram Atri c Warn b Craddock 17, C Louth c Cull b Craddock 7, P Cook c & b Craddock 4,

O Burford c Warn b Craddock 11, L Andrews lbw b Craddock 19, B Houston c sub b Swallow 50, A Bariwala b Huggins 2, A Shepherd c Ward b Craddock 18, J Darke not out 4. Extras 18. Total (54.5 overs) 206.

Fall: 2-62, 3-94, 4-94, 5-101, 6-131, 7-148, 8-159, 9-188, 10-206.

Bowling: Bishop 10-3-23-0; Poulson 7-2-20-1; Craddock 20-2-88-6; Huggins 5-0-33-1, Swallow 12.5-1-37-2.

SUFFOLK

First innings: 249 for 9 (M Cull 58, T Huggins 56, A Shepherd 4 for 77).

Second innings: 278 for 5 dec (H Adnan 119, M Cull 90).

Suffolk 22pts, Lincolnshire 4pts