Damp start for new Lincolnshire cricket season

Both the Lincolnshire Women’s county team and Lincolnshire County Cricket Club first XI saw their fixtures cancelled.

Both sides were due to play on Sunday against neighbouring county Norfolk and, despite the best efforts of host clubs Cleethorpes CC and Bourne CC, both games were cancelled without a ball being bowled.

Both squads were set to feature new captains with Lauren Tuffrey leading the women’s team and Cleethorpes CC player Tom Keast leading LCCC.

The LCCC squad featured a mix of youth and experience including a number of players named in the playing squad for the first time.

Woodhall Spa CC’s, Alex King, Scunthorpe Towns Harry Doyle and Ravi Yarwood-Paintal would have all been hoping to make their senior county debuts.

Former Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Surrey quick bowler, Mark Footitt is set to lead the Lincolnshire attack again and a strong middle order featuring the likes of Nic Keast, Jack Timby and Ben Wright will be looking to hit the ground running when the season fully gets underway.

The next home game for LCCC will be two T20 fixtures against Suffollk at Woodhall Spa CC on Sunday, 30th April. Entry is free on the day and play starts at 11am.

For the women, Eloise Hall (Woodhall Spa) and Katie Williams (Hartsholme) were both set to make their senior county debuts and a young squad featuring a significant number of talented Lincolnshire county age group players will be looking to make a positive start when their season gets underway.

Lincolnshire Women are next in action with two T20 matches against Huntingdonshire at Skegness CC this Sunday. Play starts at 11am and entry is free to all.

Elsewhere in the county, despite the hard work of ground staff and volunteers up and down the region only one game took place in the Lincolnshire ECB Premier league.

Woodhall Spa managed to beat the weather to overcome Sleaford in the season opener, and in the feeder leagues it was a similar picture.

In the Lincolnshire County League only one game got underway, The Lindum v Bracebrige game in Division Two got into the early stages of the second innings before succumbing to the rain.

In the south of the county, three games managed to reach a conclusion, Frieston, Long Sutton and Billingborough all managed to register early season victories and get their campaigns off to a winning start.

For details of all upcoming Lincolnshire CCC and Women’s county fixtures please visit www.lincscricket.co.uk