A disappointing Horsford Festival has been brought to an early end after rain stopped play in the Minor Counties Championship clash between Norfolk and Suffolk at Manor Park.

A disappointing Horsford Festival has been brought to an early end after rain stopped play in the Minor Counties Championship clash between Norfolk and Suffolk at Manor Park.

The visitors had increased their lead to 242 for the loss of one further wicket, thanks to a brilliant 160 from opener Tom Huggins, when the leaden skies opened after an hour and a half at Manor Park.

Three hours later the umpires called a halt to proceedings leaving both sides to reflect on what might have been with the visitors set up nicely for a declaration after a 240 run partnership between Huggins and Martin Cull, who was unbeaten on 82.

Both sides had to be content with a draw which left Norfolk winless during the festival, with Minor Counties championship defeats to Cumberland and Bedfordshire, and a knockout trophy semi-final reverse against Devon.

SCOREBOARD

t Suffolk 2nd innings 257-2

TB Huggins c Ward b Rogers 160

BJ France lbw Eccles 10

MG Cull not out 78

H Adnan not out 0

t Norfolk 1st innings

JM Spelman b Bishop 30

RGS Purton c Warn b Bishop 8

TR Ward b Smith 28

FJ Flower lbw McGarry 30

CR Borrett b Smith 9

CJ Rogers c Huggins b McGarry 13

SK Gray c Bishop b Huggins 69

GW Walker c McGarry b Huggins 11

C Brown lbw France 25

MP Eccles not out 13

MA Addison lbw Huggins 2

Extras (b 4, lb 9, w 2, nb 25) 40

t Total (78.3 overs) 278

Fall: 1-30, 2-79, 3-87, 4-111, 5-142, 6-161, 7-177, 8-258, 9-262

Bowling: Smith 14-1-65-2, Bishop 18-0-68-2, McGarry 16-1-51-2, France 9-1-33-1, Swallow 10-3-20-0, Huggins 11.3-2-28-3

t Suffolk 1st innings

T Huggins c Gray b Eccles 0

B France c Ward b Brown 32

M Cull lbw Addison 4

H Adnan c Rogers b Walker 66

C Warn c Ward b Borrett 13

N Lee c Flower b Brown 8

P Caley b Eccles 4

C Swallow c Ward b Walker 41

J Bishop c Eccles b Walker 58

M Smith b Walker 0

A McGarry not out 29

t Total (87.4 overs) 263

Fall: 1-1, 2-25, 3-49, 4-64, 5-87, 6-92, 7-148. 8-194, 9-263

Bowling: Eccles 16-4-47-2, Addison 14-3-43-1, Brown 30-6-76-2, Borrett 5-1-16-1, Walker 22.4-2-73-4