Spoils shared in opening T20 games for Lincolnshire sides

The men began with a home draw against Norfolk in back-to-back games.

For the first time in the county's history, Louth Cricket Club was the venue and both sides were welcomed with sunny skies, an immaculate outfield and a crowd that grew as the day wore on.

In the first game, it was the opposition who sneaked home in a tense affair.

Batting first, Norfolk closed on 140-6.

Scoring looked difficult and 140 had the feel of a par score.

That proved to be the case as Lincolnshire’s reply finished 10 short on 130-3.

Youngster Ben Jones, on debut, led the way with 42 from 40 balls and his partnership with captain Tom Keast threatened to see the home side over the line.

However, some excellent bowling from Norfolk in the final overs was enough to see the away team register the first win of the day.

In game two, Lincolnshire were determined to be more aggressive.

On winning the toss and batting first, Lincolnshire opener Joe Pocklington led from the front before falling agonisingly short of what would have been a memorable hundred before being superbly caught on the boundary for 93 off 62 balls.

He found support in the shape of Ben Jones, who backed up his performance in the first game by adding a fluent 41 from 29 balls in the second to power Lincolnshire to a total of 176 for the loss of four wickets.

In reply, Norfolk struggled to keep pace with the rate, eventually falling well short on 129-9. Standout performer was another debutant, Sleaford’s Scott Tite, who put in a fine display of seam bowling, finishing with stellar figures of 4-18 from his four overs.

Lincolnshire are next in action this coming Sunday away at Herefordshire.

For the women, it was another set of back-to-back set of T20 matches.

Opponents were Hertfordshire and the venue was Bracebridge Heath CC, which looked fantastic in the late May sunshine.

In game one, Lincolnshire were the happier of the two at the interval as the Herts innings finished on 129-4, Lincolnshire opening bowler Lauren Tuffrey proving particularly miserly with figures of four overs, two wickets for 12 runs.

In response, Lincolnshire kept their noses in front throughout and despite losing early wickets, Hester Dakin (20) and Molly Rebanks (41) saw the home side to victory in 17.3 overs.

Game number two proved more of an obstacle for the home side.

Hannah Hughes (33) and Abigail Hannan (34) were largely to thank for Lincolnshire’s total of 126.

In response, Herts fell behind the rate early on and looked in trouble at 40-6, Tuffrey, Vaughan and Watson sharing the wickets.

But the final overs proved challenging and the lower order for Hertfordshire managed to put the home side's bowlers under the pump, eventually running out winners with four balls to spare in what was a tense and ultimately disappointing finish to what had been a fine day for Lincolnshire Women’s side.

The women are next in action on Sunday, 15th June with another set of T20 matches away against Cumbria.