Cumberland hit back on the second day of their Minor Counties clash with Staffordshire.

Bowled-out for 141 on the opening day and with their hosts closing on 95-1 prospects weren’t good but when play was interrupted early in the afternoon following a downpour they were back in he match.

Staffordshire had got a first innings lead of six but had lost five wickets in going ahead. They had managed to add only 52 runs on the second day, losing four wickets in the process.

With prospects of play in the rest of the day looking decidedly slim it could now hinge on sporting declarations and a final target.

Jimmy Dawson was the first to go today, clean-bowled by Chris Miller for 44 with the Staffordshire total on 120 and then two runs later Dan Conway had Dan Hancock caught behind by Ikram Ullah for 34.

Cumberland continued to apply good pressure and Miller claimed his second wicket when he caught Liam Hughes off his own bowling for just one.

It became 147-5 when former Cumberland batsman Alex Stead was trapped leg before by Graham Dawson for nine.

Only 20.3 overs were possible on the morning before the rain sent the players scurrying to the pavilion where an early lunch was taken.

In fact the interruption lasted for over three hours before the players did get back out again and Staffordshire set about building a first innings lead. When the innings closed after 90 overs they had reached 236-9, a lead of 95.

James Lowe took three of the last four wickets to fall and he was also soon padded-up to open the Cumberland innings with debutant James Clarkson.

Play actually ended half an hour early at 7-30pm because of bad light by which time Cumberland were 41-1, still 54 behind. Clarkson went for eight but Lowe was unbeaten on 22.

Unfortunately there was no play possible on Tuesday so the match was abandoned as a draw. Cumberland picked-up eight points to Staffordshire's ten.

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