Not T20 - but not far off

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 2nd June brought a change of scene at the pleasant Bracebridge Heath ground on the outskirts of Lincoln. Lincolnshire were playing Cheshire in a knock out trophy fifty overs per side match. Having avoided the Minor Counties T20 competition, which is all they have played so far this season, we felt that this might be a bit more like proper cricket despite the coloured clothing. Cheshire's all black outfits at least matched the sightscreens, but little else whereas Lincoln green seemed slightly more acceptable.

Can't see the wood for the trees at Bracebridge Heath. In fact there are two trees inside the boundary.

However those who had travelled a fair distance, including a few all the way from Cheshire, were somewhat short changed thanks to a lively, bouncy wicket which proved particularly attractive to Lincoln's Alex Willerton bowling down the slope. He generated a fair amount of pace and was soon among the wickets, with batsmen often fending the ball off in self defence to the eager close catchers.
Even former Yorkshire and Derbyshire all rounder David Wainwright, who scored a century for Castleford the previous day, could not help Cheshire for long. Robert Sehmi, the Cheshire wicket keeper had also made a century for Croft yesterday but was lbw for only eight.

First innings almost over and lunch no where near ready.

After opener Will Evans made a rapid 19, before becoming the third man out, the score was 42-3. The hoped for recovery never happened and the middle order totally disintegrated with Curtis Free, a former Yorkshire Academy player, joining in with two wickets. Willerton bowled his ten overs to finish with remarkable figures of 10-1-20-6. A last wicket stand of 15, thanks to Andrew Jackson's 18, brought the total to 88 all out, after two final wickets to Daniel Freeman. The innings only lasted 22.5 overs. James Wainman, the former Yorkshire bowler, didn't get a look in with only one over at the end.

Alex Willerton (No. 14) applauded back to the pavilion.

Some persistent rain showers then interrupted proceedings for a while and despite the small target required for victory, Lincolnshire had it further reduced to 80 in 34 overs. Opener Tom Keast with 25 and experienced Notts county player Bilal Shafyat showed the necessary aggression to make easy work of this before the rain returned again. 18 year old Ben Gibbon, Cheshire's opening bowler, had taken 8-59 the previous day for Oulton Park and had given them a hint of a chance with two early wickets, but Shafyat's innings of 39 which included six fours settled the match very rapidly, with this innings lasting only 16.4 overs.

Bilal Shafyat hits a four through mid-wicket.

So the spectators only saw a total of 39.3 overs - no escaping the T20 formula even here!
Lincolnshire will now meet Gary Pratt's Cumberland side in the quarter final at Bourne on Sunday 30th June. Hopefully that game will last a little longer.

Short changed spectators at the end of the game.