The experience of losing to eventual winners Berkshire at the same stage should stand Suffolk in good stead in Sunday’s Unicorns KO Trophy Quarter-Final, writes Nick Garnham.
That’s the belief of Suffolk skipper Adam Mansfield ahead of the last-eight tie against Oxfordshire at Banbury CC, start 11am.
Suffolk suffered a 65-run loss in the competition last season to Berkshire, who went on to lift the trophy following a four-wicket win in the final against Lincolnshire.
Mansfield said: “We are really looking forward to Sunday. Last year’s quarter-final final was a difficult day against Berkshire, who are a very good Minor County. However, I feel the experience from that game will help us when we go into Sunday’s game.
“It’s a great opportunity for us as a county to show what we are capable of. I know how well we can perform when we are at the top of our game and we just have to go out there and show it.
“We have quite a young squad this year which I feel is really exciting and we go into the game with confidence.”
Bury St Edmunds all-rounder Josh Cantrell is again ruled out after missing last weekend’s T20 double-header against Hertfordshire at Harpenden with a hand injury.
Sudbury’s Billy Moulton-Day will return to the side after sitting out last Sunday’s back-to-back group games with a groin injury, provided he comes through Saturday’s game at Swardeston unscathed.
Suffolk will not know until late on Saturday whether ex-Kent all-rounder Adam Ball, who missed both the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire encounters through work commitments, is available.
However, Kyran Young is back after being unavailable last Sunday while Darren Ironside is included in the 13-man squad for the first time this season.
The all-rounder scored a match-winning 125 not out against Bedfordshire at Flitwick in the final Unicorns Championship match of last season to steer Suffolk to a three-wicket win.
Suffolk squad: Jaik Mickleburgh, Jake Foley, Alex Oxley, Darren Batch, Kyran Young, Ben Shepperson, Tom Rash, Adam Mansfield (wkt & capt), James Poulson, Jack Beaumont, Adam Ball, Darren Ironside, Billy Moulton-Day.
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