STAFFORDSHIRE V LINCOLNSHIRE - MINOR COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP

BY CHRIS KEYWOOD - CHAIRMAN, LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB

Lincolnshire travelled to Longton, near Stoke, to play their fourth Minor Counties (Eastern Division) Championship match of the season. Sam Evison (Woodhall) replaced the injured Dan Birch.

Staffordshire won the toss and elected to bat. Kadeer Ali and James Middleton gave them a flying start putting on 80 for the first wicket. Three wickets then fell for thirty runs before Peter Wilshaw joined Ali and they put on 124 for the fourth wicket. Three further wickets then fell again for the addition of thirty more runs. At this stage Staffordshire looked to be heading for a total in excess of 400 but tight bowling, particularly by Matt Carter, restricted their progress and they were eventually dismissed for 364 in the final of their allotted 90 overs. Wilshaw made an impressive 133 and Ali made 91, both falling to Carter, who finished with 5 for 87 in 29 overs.

Lincolnshire’s first innings was a disaster as they slumped to 20 for 6 in the face of some impressive bowling from Staffordshire’s opening bowlers, Greg Willott and Dan Cumming. By close of play on day one Lincolnshire were 48 for 6 and staring defeat in the face. Next day they fared little better being dismissed in the 29^th over for just 60, with only captain Brett Houston reaching double figures with 30 not out. For Staffordshire Willott took 5 for 9 in12.1 overs and Cumming 3 for 18 in 6 overs.

Asked to follow on Lincolnshire made better progress in their second innings as openers Sam Evison and Jon Cheer gave them a steady start. Evison made 60 before falling to Willott for the second time in the match and Matt Lineker made 62 also falling to Willott. A middle order collapse saw Lincolnshire go from 138 for 1 to 154 for 6 before the lower order gave some respectability to the score. Lewis Bramley (22) and Harry Clewett (27) aided this process before Brett Houston with 54 and Matt Carter with 49 not out added 99 for the ninth wicket. This ensured that Staffordshire had to bat again as Lincolnshire were finally dismissed for 330 in their 85^th over. Willott added to his five wickets in the first innings with a further 5 for 64.

Staffordshire made light of their task of scoring the 27 required for victory easing home without loss just before close of play on day two.

Staffordshire took 24 points from the match and Lincolnshire four which leaves them precariously placed near the foot of the Eastern Division table. 

Their next match is against Norfolk at Horsford, near Norwich commencing on Sunday, 4^th August.