Minor Counties championship underway.

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 23rd June and the opening day of the Minor Counties championship season, with proper three day cricket making a rare appearance after endless T20 and one day trophy games in the season so far. Thinking that braving the traffic on the M62 motorway would be somewhat easier on a Sunday than in mid-week we made the long trip to Chester to see Cheshire take on Wiltshire. For once our traffic planning proved correct and we were well in place for the start at Chester Boughton Hall, with it's pleasantly modern pavilion complex and the added bonus for canal enthusiasts to watch boats going through the lock at the bottom end of the ground.

All ready for a prompt start at Chester Boughton Hall.

Cheshire's openers raring to go.

Cheshire batted first and certainly produced a much better performance than we saw at Bracebridge Heath recently against Lincolnshire in the one day trophy. That day they were bowled all out for 88 but today after losing two early wickets for 29 they recovered well and reached 299-6 with still eleven overs of the first innings ninety available on Monday morning. Today's play was curtailed by a rain interruption and bad light but tomorrow's forecast is not good either and it sounds as if it will be difficult to obtain a result.

The neighbours get a grandstand view at Boughton Hall.

However we saw some good batting today. Rick Moore, yet another former Leeds/Bradford player, quite some time ago now, provided a long innings which rather became bogged down at one stage. The runs flowed freely at the other end though, first from Robert Sehmi, who made 39 before being run out. Then a very quick 50 from Furqan Shafiq, which seemed to be almost all boundaries provided some excellent entertainment in a partnership of 76.

Two spectators gone missing! No doubt taking advantage of the excellent catering & bar facilities.

Cheshire putting bat on ball.
(As ever click on pictures to enlarge)

After the rain interruption Moore continued until he was finally caught for 87 off the bowling of the persevering Luke Evans, who was the pick of the Wiltshire attack. This made the score 247-5 and although former county man, David Wainwright, was another run out victim for only two, Calum Rowe made the third fifty of the day in partnership with Simon Normanton who made a useful 22 not out at the end of the day. Final score Cheshire 299-6 in 79 overs, with Luke Evans taking the bowling honours for Wiltshire with 3-52.