Despite losing nearly a day and a half to the weather, Bucks Men pulled off an unlikely victory in their opening NCCA Cluberly Championship Eastern Division 1 match against Suffolk at Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday.

With so much time lost, it took some enterprising ploys from the captains — including the forfeiture of an innings — to produce a result. In the end, Bucks won by 119 runs with more than an hour to spare.

After choosing to bat first, Bucks struggled in their much-interrupted first innings, which did not conclude until the third morning of the match. They finished on 230-9 from their 90 overs.

Cameron Parsons, who was to play a major role in the Bucks victory, top-scored with 44 as the last two wickets added 88 runs. Max Uttley, Ed Horsley, and Ryan Friend also passed 30.

To get the game moving, Suffolk immediately forfeited their first innings and then bowled generously, allowing Bucks to rattle up 45-0 declared from just 3.3 overs in their second innings. Billy Dodds was the main beneficiary, scoring 42 not out from 15 balls.

As a result of these tactics, Suffolk were set 276 for victory in around 80 overs.

The home batters never really got going against Bucks's excellent attack, although at 127-4, they looked like they might secure the draw.

But their last six wickets fell for 29 runs in 16 overs, leaving them all out for 156 in 67.1 overs — just before the start of the final hour.

The outstanding Parsons led the way with 4-41 from 19 overs, supported well by Archie Dodds, Conner Haddow, and Max Uttley, who sealed the victory by dismissing Suffolk's top scorer, Alex Oxley, for 45.

Bucks, who took 18 points from the game to Suffolk’s four, play their next NCCA Cluberly Championship match against Cambridgeshire at Chesham from August 10–12.

In the meantime, the team will travel to face Northants in a showcase 40-over game at Wantage Road this Sunday, starting at 11am.