Early wickets costly for Lincs CCC in Hertfordshire defeat

All rounder George Rhodes added to side...
George Rhodes. Photo: Getty ImagesGeorge Rhodes. Photo: Getty Images
George Rhodes. Photo: Getty Images

On a hot and sunny day, Lincolnshire welcomed Hertfordshire to Grantham for the second of their group fixtures in the National Counties Knock-out Trophy.

Lincolnshire included George Rhodes, the Leicestershire all-rounder, in their team.

On winning the toss the visitors elected to bat.

Lincolnshire struck immediately with Curtis Free bowling opened Chatfield in the first over.

There then followed the highest stand of the innings as Hamza Ahmed and Tanveer Sikander added 89 for the second wicket before George Rhodes dismissed the former for 46.

Lincolnshire rang the bowling changes and this produced a collapse with four wickets falling for just 29 runs.

The visitors recovered slightly thereafter before their final four wickets fell for the addition of only 16 runs, giving a final total for 166.

Five Lincolnshire bowlers shared the wickets with debutant, Rhodes, taking 3 for 39.

This target looked well within Lincolnshire’s capabilities with 50 overs available to them.

They got off to the worst possible start losing their first three wickets for only five runs, with a fourth falling with the total on 20.

Dan Freeman and Ben Wright then staged a recovery, adding 51 for the fifth wicket before Wright was dismissed for 32.

Whilst Dan Freeman was batting there was still hope of a Lincolnshire victory, but none of the lower order batsmen were able to stay with him, Lincolnshire being dismissed in the thirty-sixth over for 100, Freeman 28 not out.

The damage had been done, however, at the beginning of the Lincolnshire innings with Hertfordshire bowler William Jones taking 4 for 16 in his ten allotted overs.

Ben Waring with 4 for 30 added to Lincolnshire’s woes.

Despite this defeat, Lincolnshire still remain in second position on run rate in their group.

Victories in their final matches against Suffolk (at Mildenhall on June 20) and against Cambridgeshire at Grantham on June 27 will be vital.