SUFFOLK give contrasting debuts to two players in their first Minor Counties Championship match of the season.They face Cumberland at Netherfield in a three-day game starting on Monday with former Test star Devon Malcolm and young batsman Tobias Hembry picked to play for the first time for the county.

By Elvin King

SUFFOLK give contrasting debuts to two players in their first Minor Counties Championship match of the season.

They face Cumberland at Netherfield in a three-day game starting on Monday with former Test star Devon Malcolm and young batsman Tobias Hembry picked to play for the first time for the county.

Pace bowler Malcolm left the first class game at the end of last season and has signed to play in all of Suffolk's six Minor Counties matches.

Much will be expected from the 41-year-old who took 128 wickets - and scored 236 runs - for England. Suffolk professional Trevor Smith and Paul King will join him in the pace attack with Chris Swallow providing a spin option.

Hembry is a former Ipswich School and St Joseph's College pupil who has played two first class games for Cambridge University this season. The batsman plays his club cricket for Bury St Edmunds.

Hembry has been added to the Suffolk squad of 14 as four players are unavailable to travel to Cumberland. Marcus Marvel, Andrew Mawson and Ian Morton have work commitments while Matt Catley's wife is about to give birth.

“They are all available for our next game against Northumberland at Bury St Edmunds starting on June 13,” said Kevin Brooks, Suffolk's director of cricket.

Clacton captain Mark Jones gets a return call to the side after not featuring in the Minor Counties last season, while county coach Andy Brown will open the batting as Russell Catley has decided to take a break from three-day cricket.

Brown played in one game last season and made 90 in the exciting victory against Bedfordshire at Sidegate Avenue, Ipswich.

Suffolk did not play Cumberland last year in a season where they won two and drew three of their six matches. Phil Caley begins his second decade as Suffolk captain.

Suffolk team: P Caley, A Brown, B France, T Catley, M Jones, C Swallow, T Hembry, C Warn, D Malcolm, T Smith, P King.