Minor Counties Championship Round Up

David Pennett was the Cumberland hero as the reigning champions returned to top spot in the Eastern Division table after their third win of the season in a one-innings contest with Suffolk at Millom.

Pennett took five for 79 to help dismiss Suffolk for 174 - a recovery from 47 for five - and he then came to the rescue with the bat when Cumberland were struggling on 87 for six in reply. He made 38 in a partnership of 67 with Ashley Metcalfe (75 not out) that took Cumberland to within sight of victory.

Cambridgeshire celebrated their first championship victory of the season at Lakenham, despite a hat-trick from Norfolk skipper Paul Newman.

Cambridgeshire, chasing 178, lost their fifth, sixth and seventh wickets to Newman on 167 but Robert Rollins edged the fourth ball of the last over for four to win the game. Ajaz Akhtar, the Cambridgeshire captain, set up the win with match figures of 12 for 130.

Kevin Evans, the former Nottinghamshire seamer, produced two miserly spells for Shropshire against Cornwall at Camborne, his analysis of 16-10-7-4 helping earn the Midland county a slender first day advantage.

Minor Counties Championship
Lakenham: Norfolk 123 & 210-7 (PJ Free 64 not, A Akhtar 4-86) Cambs 156 & 180-7 (SA Kellett 53, SC Goldsmith 4-39) Cambs (21) beat Norfolk (4) by 3 wickets
Millom: Suffolk 174 (DB Pennett 5-79) Cumberland 176-7 (AA Metcalfe 75 not) Cumberland (16) beat Suffolk (5) by 3 wickets
Camborne: Cornwall 188 (SM Williams 60, BP Price 52, KP Evans 4-7, BWW Platt 4-51) Shrops 196-9 (GJ Byram 82)