Sudbury's Poulson praises Suffolk team-mates
James Poulson paid tribute to the performances of his Suffolk team-mates after the county kept alive their chances of qualifying for this season’s Unicorns Twenty20 Finals Day.
Suffolk recorded back-to-back victories over Bedfordshire in Sunday’s double-header at the Victory Ground in Bury St Edmunds, by one run and eight wickets respectively.
Poulson’s Sudbury team-mate Billy Moulton-Day held his nerve to take two wickets in the visitors’ last over, from which they needed 10 runs to win in the first match.
Jake Foley had earlier top-scored with 51 off 25 balls in Suffolk’s 172-8 off their 20 overs.
Poulson said: “Jake Foley and Jaik Mickleburgh batted superbly well in the powerplay to put us in a really good position after the first six overs in the first match.
“If anything, we struggled in the middle overs as we should have got 200, but having been bowled out for 90 on a couple of occasions, it was important for us to post a competitive score.
“Tymal Mills, who brings so much experience to our bowling attack, also passes on advice our other bowlers. Josh Cantrell bowled very well, as did Jake Foley before Billy Moulton-Day bowled superbly in the last over to win it for us.”
Bedfordshire then collapsed to 23-8 in the second match, although they did recover to 55 all out, with Poulson taking 3-6.
Although Suffolk lost two early wickets, Mickleburgh (27 no) and Sudbury’s Darren Batch (23 no) ensured an eight-wicket win with half of their overs unused.
“They came out expecting to get 180-200 in the second match like we had in the first match. If anything, the pitch had changed and was slower so scoring runs was harder,” added Poulson.
“Their batsmen didn’t adapt quickly enough and lost eight quick wickets which then put them on the back foot, and if it had not been for their No.10 they would have got even less.
“Jaik Mickleburgh and Darren Batch were then very professional in their approach and got us home. The fact we knocked off the runs so quickly could be the difference between us qualifying from the group and not as net run-rate may be crucial.
“We needed to win both matches today and both matches against Hertfordshire at Harpenden next Sunday to give us a chance of going through, so we can take a lot of confidence from today’s performances in to those games.”
The two points acquired leaves Suffolk in third place out of five teams making up Group 3, level on points with second-place Hertfordshire.
Suffolk have played two more matches (six) than the side above them though, so are third as a result of a greater amount of games lost.
Cambridgeshire top the group after six matches with eight points accumulated (four wins), while Bedfordshire (four defeats from four) prop up the table with Norfolk (four points) are above them.
