Table-topping Lincolnshire draw clash with title rivals Staffordshire

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Lincolnshire drew with title rivals Staffordshire at Cleethorpes CC in a battle at the top of the National Counties Eastern Division One Championship, writes Martyn Dobson.

Lincolnshire were top of the division at this stage, but the visitors had a game in hand and the outcome of this match was likely to determine the Championship winners.

Lincolnshire were still without the injured Mark Foottit.

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Staffordshire won the toss and elected to bat on a warm and sunny day. Lincolnshire struck early and reduced the visitors to 51 for 4 – Currie, Knapton and Wright sharing the wickets.

Jordan Cook - fine century for Lincolnshire.Jordan Cook - fine century for Lincolnshire.
Jordan Cook - fine century for Lincolnshire.

It had taken Staffordshire 19 overs to reach the 50 mark.

There then followed a stand of 114 between Michael Hill and Callum Hawkins before Ben Wright dismissed Hawkins for 60.

A sixth wicket quickly fell before Sam Atkinson joined Hill and together they put the Lincolnshire attack under pressure adding 190 for the seventh wicket, Atkinson’s 86 included 11 fours and two sixes.

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Hill carried on to make 166 not out (13 fours and six sixes) as Staffordshire reached 386-7 in their allotted 90 overs.

They claimed the four maximum batting points whilst Lincolnshire obtained three bowling points.

Lincolnshire now faced a tricky 17 overs.

They made a bad start losing two quick wickets before reaching 68-2 at the close of play on day one.

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Overnight batters, Haider and Wright, progressed the score to 91 before Haider was lbw for 35.

Tom Keast joined Wright and the latter was dismissed for 58, leaving Lincolnshire 136-4.

Nic Keast quickly followed with Lincolnshire now 150-5, some 236 behind their opponents’ total.

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A sixth wicket stand added 111 before Tom Keast was caught for 77.

At this stage Jordan Cook was 68 not out.

From this point he attacked the Staffordshire bowling, adding 50 with Josh Knapton and finally reaching his century.

He continued to attack and reached his 150 off a further 29 balls.

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By the end of Lincolnshire’s allotted 90 overs they had reached a total of 386-7, Cook on 166 not out (19 fours and 6 sixes), ironically the same score as Staffordshire’s Michael Hill.

It was Cook’s maiden century for Lincolnshire in the Championship and also his highest score in any form of cricket.

Lincolnshire now had to make early inroads into the Staffordshire batting and this they did to devastating effect.

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By the close of day two the visitors had collapsed to 106-7, six Lincolnshire bowlers sharing the wickets with only Reeve Evitts making any sort of contribution on 49 not out.

Day three opened again with fine, warm weather, Lincolnshire’s task being to dismiss the remaining Staffordshire batters as quickly as possible.

This was not to be, however, as the match contained yet another remarkable twist.

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Reeve Evitts continued to score and found a reliable partner in Rory Haydon.

They batted together through the morning session and into the afternoon before Haydon was dismissed for 56.

Evitts by this time had passed 150.

The final two wickets fell quickly with the total on 296, Evitts being ninth out for 172 off 290 balls.

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Lincolnshire were left a target of 294 to win off around 45 to 50 overs dependent on how quickly Staffordshire bowled.

Joe Pocklington fell immediately but Nic Keast attacked the Staffordshire bowling vigorously before being dismissed for 67 off 34 balls which included eight fours and three sixes.

Further wickets quickly fell as the home side were reduced to 140-8, only Tom Keast standing firm. He found an able partner in Tom Currie as they battled hard to save the game and pick up valuable points and at the same time deny Staffordshire victory.

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This they did, Keast with 67 not out and Currie 20 not out. Lincolnshire’s total of 193-8 off 48 overs had earned them a precious draw.

Both clubs took 11 points from the match, which left Lincolnshire at the top of Eastern Division One.

Two clubs, however, have a game in hand over them. Lincolnshire’s final Championship game is at Copdock, Ipswich against Suffolk commencing on Sunday, 18th August.

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