Cumberland start the final day at Barrow needing another 285 to beat Staffordshire – with nine wickets in hand.

After a close first innings – which Staffordshire finished seven runs ahead – the game was turned on its head by a new Staffordshire all-time last wicket partnership.

Former Derbyshire star Kim Barnett (pictured) and Will Purser put on 118 to enable Staffs to finish 287 all out in their second innings.
Barnett batted 213 minutes for his unbeaten 63, made from 177 balls.

Occupation of the crease was his one priority as he struck just four boundaries in his innings, which was a model of concentration and application as he ensured the Staffs innings wasn't blown away.

Purser recorded a career best 69 for the county, including eleven boundaries and one six, as he helped to put Staffs in a commanding position to go on and record a first championship success of the season.

Having set Cumberland 295 to win, Staffs made immediate inroads into the home batting as Dave Edwards had Carl Hey caught behind by Paul Goodwin for the second time, and again for a duck.

After the hectic pace of the opening day, when 21 wickets fell, play was held up at the start of the second day. Water had crept under the covers following heavy overnight rain.

However, bright sunshine and a breeze, assisted by the ground staffs innovative use of an electric blower to assist the elements to enable the match to resume after the lunch interval.

With the extra hour to be played at the end of the day a total of one hour twenty minutes time was lost from the day meaning there was still plenty of cricket to be played.

Nightwatchman Russ Ballard played his part in assisting Peter Wilshaw in denying the home attack for 75 minutes.

The pair increased the first innings lead of seven by a further 73, before Ballard's solid defence was beaten by a full delivery from James Smith.

Ballard's Stone colleague Jimmy Dawson replaced him at the wicket but, after scoring seven, fell to an excellent slip catch as off spinner Chris Miller began to get the ball to spin and bounce off the damp patch.

After the earlier dominance by the batsmen, play began to resemble the opening day's play with a steady stream of wickets falling.

Wilshaw became the second batsman in the game to reach a half century but after reaching 59 he was given out after Pratt's second attempt at the stumping was upheld.

Alex Hughes went to a slip catch off Miller before brother Liam could only fend off a rising ball to give Smith a simple return catch off his own bowling.

Barnett and Paul Goodwin edged the score from 123 for six to 145 at tea, a lead of 152, but with just two added to the score on the resumption, Goodwin departed lbw for 15.

The ninth wicket fell on 169 but this was a prelude to the record breaking 108 minutes to follow.

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