LINCOLNSHIRE DEFEAT WILTSHIRE AT WOODHALL SPA

FROM CHRIS KEYWOOD, CHAIRMAN, LINCS CCC

Lincolnshire got their Minor Counties Knockout Trophy campaign firmly back on track with a comprehensive 6 wicket victory over Wiltshire at Woodhall Spa.

Wiltshire won the toss and decided to bat and made a steady start adding 40 for their first wicket before Lincolnshire captain, Brett Houston, struck twice in one over to leave the visitors 40 for 2. With the score on 82 for 2, Kranjit Bansal struck twice to remove the dangerous Ed Kilbee for 36 and Hampshire Academy’s Alsop first ball. Bansal quickly struck again as Wiltshire slumped to 95 for 5 and then 134 for 6 before a stand of 76 for the seventh wicket gave the visitors total some respectability. Top scorer was Ashur Morrison with 69 off 66 balls. Wiltshire finally totalled 224 for 9 from their 50 overs, a total well within Lincolnshire’s grasp. Whilst Bansal with 3 for 55 was Lincolnshire’s main wicket taker, the economical spin from Carter and Lineker, whose combined 20 overs went for only 59 runs, put pressure on the Wiltshire batsmen.

Lincolnshire made a bad start with the dangerous Dan Birch being dismissed for nought. Grimsby Town captain, Jim Morgan, and the talented Matt Lineker then took the game away from Wiltshire and added 90 in just 12 overs before Morgan was dismissed for 31. Conrad Louth and Lineker then added a further 60 in the next 12 overs to put Lincolnshire well in front of the required run rate. Lineker continued to punish the Wiltshire attack playing fluently all around the wicket. A further stand of 47 with Paul Cook saw Lincolnshire almost home and Lineker sealed the victory reaching 107 not out off 122 balls with over 12 overs to spare.

This was a good performance by Lincolnshire and they now need to defeat Norfolk at Horsford, Norwich on Sunday, 19^th May before their final group game against Suffolk on 2^nd June at Bracebridge Heath.