CUMBERLAND are looking to build on their impressive performance at Cleethorpes earlier this month when they entertain Cambridgeshire for the next three days at Barrow.

The Cumbrians collected their first win in the Minor Counties Eastern Division, beating Lincolnshire by 114 runs to soar to third in the table.

Although trailing by 23 on first innings, Cumberland hammered 475-6 before declaring in their second innings and that included a record county stand of 220 for the third wicket between opener Jonathan Miles (107) and skipper (pictured) Gary Pratt (141).

Alex Atkinson chipped-in with 75 and James Smith was unbeaten on 54 as the Cumbrians set their hosts a total of 453 to win.

A stand of 130 for the ninth wicket after opener Dan Birch had made 116 kept Lincolnshire’s interest alive but Cumberland were able to seize the victory with Martin Evans proving the most successful bowler with 4-31.

Cumberland have made only one change to that winning combination with opener James Lowe coming back in to replace spinner Michael Baer.

Ajaz Akhtar (pictured below right) will be the unfortunate member of Cambridgeshire's old guard to miss their match which begins tomorrow.

ECB funding is available to sides whose nine youngest players have an average age of 26 or under.

Opening bowler Akhtar is 41, middle-order batsmen Simon Kellett is a year older and wily slow left-armer Tim Smith is four years short of his 60th birthday.

And with all three experienced players fit and available for selection, team manager Keith Coburn has opted to leave Akhtar on the sidelines for the three-day Eastern Division clash in Barrow.

"It's an incentive to play young players, and each year the funding pot gets bigger," said Coburn. "If you play Ajaz at 41, that puts the average up quite a bit because Kellett and Smith don't count."

Cambs ended their two-year wait for a Minor Counties Championship victory when they overcame Hertfordshire by 115 runs at Wisbech last time out. Gary Freear hit 121, Smith captured 5 for 70 and off-spinner Paul McMahon wrapped things up with 8 for 112 in the visitors' second innings.

Coburn believes his side, who drew five and lost one last summer, will be full of confidence going into the encounter.

But he said: "We couldn't believe that Cumberland won their last game as Lincs are one of the favourites, so they'll be on a high after that.

"But we've just won our first game for two years. We've lost a few in that time, but they've been mainly draws. We've lacked a bit of luck, so it was nice to get a win."

Paul Summerskill is unavailable for the trek north, so Lewis Bruce comes in.

Eastern Division
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts
Suffolk  3 2 0 0 1 0 54
Bedfordshire  3 2 0 0 1 0 51
Cumberland  3 1 0 0 2 0 43
Lincolnshire  3 1 1 0 1 0 39
Cambs  3 1 1 0 1 0 37
Northumb  3 0 1 0 2 0 32
Herts  3 0 2 0 1 0 22
Norfolk  2 0 0 0 2 0 21
Staffs  3 0 2 0 1 0 21
Bucks  2 0 0 0 2 0 20

Cumberland: Gary Pratt (Capt), James Lowe, Jonathan Miles, Marc Brown, Ikram Ullah, Alex Atkinson, James Smith, Chris Marsden, Martyn Evans, Graham Dawson, Chris Miller.
 
Cambridgeshire: A G Burton, G D Freear, M J Pateman, S A Kellett (Capt), L R Bruce, P Richer, J D Williams, P J McMahon, C J Budd, T S Smith, J D Cowan.
 
Umpires: G Parker and H Evans: 

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