Sudbury Cricket Club players Adam Mansfield, Darren Batch, Ben Parker and Paddy Sadler in Suffolk squad for home NCCA Trophy opener

Four Sudbury players and one Mildenhall player are set to represent their county on their home grounds as part of the Suffolk squad for an opening double header of NCCA Trophy matches at Friars Street and Recreation Way this weekend.

Adam Mansfield will skipper the side and is joined by three club team-mates in all-rounder Darren Batch, batter Ben Parker and bowler Paddy Sadler in a 12-man squad for the opening Group 3 game versus Shropshire at Sudbury CC on Sunday (11am).

The match, which is being sponsored by Fenn Wright estate and letting agents, is the first of a double-header for Suffolk this weekend. They also face Cheshire at Mildenhall CC on Bank Holiday Monday which will see Darren Ironside on his home ground. Both matches will start at 11am.

There are three notable absentees from Suffolk’s frustrating T20 campaign, which saw two of their four double-header matches washed out.

Josh Cantrell and Freddie Heldreich are unavailable and Michael Comber’s body cannot cope with the pressures of two consecutive days of cricket at this level.

Those washouts ended any chances Suffolk had of qualifying from Group 3 of the T20 competition, which was won by Staffordshire, who defeated Cornwall by four runs in a low-scoring final at Tring Park.

Suffolk head coach Andy Northcote said he did not feel Suffolk’s inconsistent displays in the T20 competition would have any bearing on their performances in the forthcoming 50-over format.

“The two competitions are very different, so I don't believe our inconsistent showing in the T20s will have a bearing,” he said.

“Throughout my whole tenure, we have struggled to get things right in the T20s before we generally turn on the fireworks and perform above expectations in the 50 overs. Here's to hoping the same applies in 2023.

“We have the two games at home before hitting the road for the final two, so hopefully come Monday evening we will be in a steady position having played good cricket.”

Suffolk’s match against Shropshire last season was abandoned without a ball being bowled, although they did defeat Cheshire by 66 runs to ensure qualification from the group, before losing away to Oxfordshire in the quarter-finals off the last ball of the match.

Northcote said: “We do not know too much about either opposition which, in a way is great and makes the weekend all the more exciting.”

Meanwhile, Sudbury CC chairman Louis Brooks is hoping his club’s town and surrounding villages will come out to support what promises to be a great day of cricket at Frairs Street on Sunday.

He said: “Sudbury are honoured to host county cricket again this weekend.

“It’s also great to see four Sudbury players are in the team.

“A lot of effort goes into putting the games on so thanks to all the volunteers and we really hope the people of Sudbury will come along and support the county.

“Thanks also to Fenn Wright for their match day sponsorship.

“We will have outside bars and catering and it’s free to get in.

“It’s a big day for the town so hopefully people will come down and bask in the sunshine down at Friars Street.”

Suffolk squad: Jack Beaumont, Ben Claydon, Darren Batch, George Rhodes, Alex Oxley, Darren Ironside, Ben Parker, Adam Mansfield (capt), Marston (wkt), Tom Harper, Dan Shanks, Paddy Sadler.