Staffordshire put themselves in a position to potentially push for victory after an enthralling second day of their NCCA Championship game against Suffolk.
The East Anglians closed their second innings on 58-1 – leading by 11 runs – at Copdock to leave the game in the balance.
However, with the wicket showing some handy signs of life, Staffs will head into the final day feeling optimistic that they can build on their opening round victory over Lincolnshire at Checkley.
Suffolk will also be eyeing up the possibility of pushing for a win, which would boost their cause after failing to emerge victorious in either of their two matches to date.
Staffordshire had resumed matters on 67-0 as they responded to Suffolk’s 338-9 on day one.
And it was a day which saw some attritional cricket before Staffs’ Liam Hurt provided some late-innings fireworks to help Staffordshire to reach 385-9 at the end of their 90-over allocation.
James Kettleborough (70) and Michael Hill (69) had done plenty of the heavy lifting in the early stages of Staffordshire’s first innings.
Matt Morris (46), Jack Redman (37) and Callum Hawkins (39) were also in fine fettle – but it was Hurt who put Staffs in the ascendency with an astonishing innings.
The burly former Lancashire man bludgeoned 10 sixes and a couple of fours in a 40-ball 81 not out to power the visitors past their hosts’ total.
Hurt’s assault included taking 31 off the final over of the innings as he sent balls flying out of the ground and endangering traffic on the nearby A12.
That put a spring in Staffordshire’s step and they hunted some early scalps in the formative stages of Suffolk’s second dig.
They picked up one, but had chances to get more which left an intriguing third day in prospect.
‘Early work’
Staffordshire knew when they reconvened on day two that there were plenty of hard yards to be put in to first push them towards maximum batting points and then beyond their hosts.
The early signs were promising as Kettleborough and Morris settled into their work as they built on the partnership they had started the previous evening.
Everything seemed to be going Staffs’ way, but in a 20-minute passage of play they found themselves slightly on the back foot as they slipped from 111-0 to 119-3.
Seamer Rajan Singh was the architect of the demise as he picked up the scalps of Morris and Tom Moulton.
Morris was trapped lbw to bring his innings to an end, before Moulton saw his off stump knocked out of the ground to depart for a duck,
And Kettleborough, having hit 13 fours in his knock was on his way back to the pavilion when he was bowled by Chris Steele.
‘Key passage of play’
Suffolk were cock-a-hoop at that juncture and it was imperative that Staffs stemmed the tide.
The experienced Michael Hill and Reeve Evitts were the men tasked to do the job to ensure that the good work put in by the opening pair didn’t go to waste.
They did so impressively as they managed to negotiate their way to lunch as spin became more of an option and run scoring became tougher.
Staffordshire reached the interval on 157-3 and looking to push on in the afternoon session.
However, after advancing the score to 177 their alliance was broken when Evitts attempted a sweep and fell lbw to left-arm spinner Jack Beaumont.
It was crucial at that point that Hill and new partner Jack Redman dug in to repel the Suffolk attack.
And they did so manfully as they played watchfully as they steadily ticked the scoreboard over.
They took Staffs to 251 before Hill exited when he nicked fine delivery from spinner George Rhodes to Beaumont at slip.
‘Late assault’
There was another slight wobble from the visitors when Redman and Sam Atkinson were dismissed in quick succession.
Redman reverse swept Rhodes to Ishaan Rakesh at short third man, before the same bowler accounted for Atkinson for two.
Staffordshire took tea on 282-7 with nine of their overs remaining – and 325 still in therir sights.
Hawkins fell early in the session, but Hurt then went on the rampage to not only secure the fourth and final batting point, but also send Staffordshire soaring into the lead.
Rhodes was the pick of the Suffolk bowlers as he helped himself to 3-66.
Staffs almost had the dream breakthrough when Suffolk resumed as Beaumont fenced at one down the leg side from Hurt, but despite Hawkins’ best efforts, the ball bounced out of his grasp as he landed after diving.
‘Wicket’
There was success for Hurt, though, and well deserved it was as he bowled a hostile opening spell.
Nico Boje was the man to fall when he carved a delivery to sub fielder Ed Batchelor at point.
Staffordshire probed in the final stages as they searched for further wickets.
And Beaumont was afforded another life when he was shelled in the slip cordon late on.
He survived and will resume on 30 not out on day three with Ollie Burle (15no) for company.
All three results are possible – and Staffs will be hoping to send their loyal band of followers back across the country with another win.
Main image: Liam Hurt blazed 81 not out for Staffordshire on day two against Suffolk. Picture: David Peters