Staffordshire's defence starts with a win
Staffordshire made a winning start to the defence of their Minor Counties Championship title with a thrilling 13-run victory over Cambridgeshire.
On the final afternoon of the Eastern Division clash, played at West Bromwich Dartmouth's Sandwell Park, Staffs set Cambs a target 149 to win having been bowled out for 158 earlier in the day.
But, led by skipper Kadeer Ali, Staffs produced a disciplined bowling display to dismiss the visitors for 135 and clinch victory in a match that ebbed and flowed over the course of the three days.
Staffordshire had looked set for victory earlier in the day when they took a flurry of early wickets, to leave the Fen Men teetering on 42-5.
But a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket put Cambs back in contention but Staffs stayed strong to chip away the remaining wickets.
Staffs team manager Kevin O'Connell said: "It was a relief to finally get over the line. We were looking comfortable at 42-5 but it turned into a right good battle.
"We felt if we scored 200 it would have been a tough ask, we fell 50 runs short but managed to get home in the end."
