Lincolnshire fall to defeat at Staffordshire as even contest falls away
Lincolnshire CCC were beaten by seven wickets by Staffordshire at Checkley CC in round two of the NCCA Cluberley County Championship.
Lincolnshire travelled hopeful to build on the draw secured with Cambridgeshire the previous week, which featured a career best 180 from opener Nic Keast.
Losing the toss and batting first in challenging conditions, Lincolnshire were reasonably happy to reach 246 all out from 59.3 overs.
A number of batters got starts including 41 from former Leicestershire man, Sam Evans, 40 from Drew Sylvester and a fine 68 from Cleethorpes man, Jordan Cook.
In response, Staffordshire found the going similarly tough.
The dependable Mark Footitt was characteristically difficult to get away and off spinner Alex Moor extracted turn from the surface.
With seam from one end and spin from the other, Lincs were able to salvage a slender first innings lead, bowling out Staffordshire midway through day two for 218, Footitt finishing with 3-70 from his 17 overs and Moor claiming a five wicket haul (5-59 from 17).
With the game moving on at pace and a wicket that was still showing signs of lateral movement, a result felt likely.
Lincolnshire’s second innings followed a similar pattern with a number of batters again getting solid starts.
Nic Keast briefly threatened a repeat of his previous week's form before falling on 40.
Evans fell agonisingly short of his first 50 of the campaign (49) and captain Tom Keast top-scored with 61 to leave Lincolnshire all out for 263, setting up a fourth innings target of 291.
With plenty of time left in the game, the draw seemed the unlikelier result.
Staffordshire negotiated a potentially tricky evening session, in which Lincolnshire were guilty of dropping a number of chances.
Returning for the final day, Lincolnshire knew that early wickets would be key for the home side, with plenty of overs left, they knew that occupation of the crease would be sufficient to see them home.
But the Lincolnshire attack toiled on a wicket that had seemingly lost its zip and seam movement from the first two days.
As Lincolnshire rang the changes in an attempt to make the breakthrough, the Staffordshire top order continued to blunt the bowling attack and in the end made light work of what was the highest total of the game, reaching the target for the loss of just three wickets in the 71st over.
It was a disappointing result in what, for the first three innings of the match, had been an even contest.
Lincolnshire will now need to pick themselves up for the final two rounds of multi-day cricket.
Lincs are next in action at Cleethorpes CC on Sunday, 17th August vs Suffolk.
Play gets underway at 11am, entry is free and all are welcome.