CRICKET: Suffolk director of cricket Kevin Brooks has denied suggestions that players have to play in the East Anglian Premier League before they can represent Suffolk.

CRICKET

SUFFOLK director of cricket Kevin Brooks has denied suggestions that players have to play in the East Anglian Premier League before they can represent Suffolk.

Wednesday's Suffolk side were narrowly beaten by one wicket by Northamptonshire and featured no players in the final 11 who play in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championships.

"We have never stipulated players must play in the Premier League," said Brooks. "However, any young cricketer should want to fulfil all their cricket ambitions and play at the best standard possible. As the East Anglian Premier League offers the highest form of league cricket locally, you would expect these type of players to want to play at the highest level possible."

Exning's Matt Catley and Tim Catley along with Copdock's James East were left out of Suffolk's original 14-man squad. Brooks said: "The decision was left to the morning and we wanted versatility which we thought Kevin Shaw would provide and he went on to be named man of the match."

Brooks insists the door is not closed on any of these players and South African all- rounder Andrew Hall is ineligible for the ECB 38-County competition. This means there will be at least one change from Wednesday's line-up for the match against Essex Board at Chelmsford on June 9.

A number of players who could be in contention for that game will be taking part in a second XI match on Monday against Huntingdon at Alconbury (11am start).

This is the first match in a five-team league also involving Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire.

Four Copdock players, Tristan Jervis, John East, Tom Jenkin and Tim Percival are unable to play and there are only two players in the side over 25.

With four matches to be played in this league, the players will have to take every opportunity they can to impress Brooks. Chris Swallow is the only player who played on Wednesday to be in the second XI side and Brooks said this was to enable him to bat higher than the number eight spot he occupied on Wednesday.

The side is: Andy Squire (capt), Greg Palmer, Karl Holmes (all Mildenhall), Chris Swallow, Ian Morton (Clacton), Michael Elliott, Mark Jeeves (Bury St Edmunds), Olly Williams, James East, John Bell (Copdock & Old Ipswichians), Paul King (Teddington).