CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF THE KNOCK OUT

By Ann Boulton

Monday brings the launch of the 2011 Grimsby Town Knock Out – and the start of a special season for the competition.
It is 75 years since the knock out began and to mark the occasion, the eight participating teams will be competing to be the first name on a new trophy.
First up are Cleethorpes and Louth, both of whom have Sri Lankan overseas players for 2011. Nuwan Shiroman, a familiar face to knock out fans, has had an excellent start following his return to Louth after a season in Essex, notching up 328 runs in his first six games and also taking 10 wickets.
In contrast, Cleethorpes’ player Omesh Wijesiriwardana is an unknown quantity, having only arrived at the club at the end of last week.
The Meggies have had a very good opening spell in the ECB Yorkshire Premier League, holding top place for a couple of weeks and still challenging for the title.
Louth, who are in the top half of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League table, will meet up with their former batsman Rory Osmond, now at Chichester Road with cousins James and Alex, though Cleethorpes skipper James is out with a broken finger.
And the Meggies could also face a former player and knock out favourite – bowler Andy Carrington who is now with Louth and so far has 14 wickets to his name.
The game, which begins at 6.15pm, is 16 eight-ball overs, four overs per bowler with fielding restrictions and a free hit for a no-ball. Umpires for the opening fixture are Ian Wilkinson and Brian Duncalf.
There is ample car parking around the ground and spectators are welcome.