NCCA T20 campaign starts in a wet fashion for Wiltshire CCC Men's 1st XI
Dorset CCC v Wiltshire CCC NCCA T20
Sunday 28th April at The Leaze, Wimborne CC
Toss: Won by Wiltshire who elected to bat
There should have been two T20 matches between these two teams, but the weather had other ideas. The fact that any play took place at all was thanks to the hardworking ground staff of Wimborne CC. The first game didn’t happen as the pitch hadn’t survived sufficiently from recent downpours. The umpires were as keen as the players to see cricket played and play began at 2:30pm.
Wiltshire may have been regretting their decision to bat first as wickets fell with regularity. The first being Jack Mynott bowled by Jacob Gordon. In the very next over Wiltshire skipper Ed Young was bowled by Dorset debutant and his former teammate Matt Burton with the score 3 for 2. Jake Goodwin 13 was next to go caught on the boundary. Jake Lintott 18 top scored for Wiltshire as only one other player made double figures with Natham Feltham 17 clearing the ropes with a couple of big hits before he became the last victim. Wiltshire finished on 72 all out. David Scott and Connor Smith each took an impressive 3 for 13 as Wiltshire were dismissed with 31 balls remaining.
Before the players came off the clouds darkened overhead and rain had been falling. Rain had previously caused a brief interruption with spectators rushing for cover with the score on 46 for 3, but as Wiltshire struggled to their meagre total the light shower became much heavier with even a period of hailstones. After a very pleasant and tasty tea interval the umpires took a good look at the pitch and after much deliberation the game was abandoned as a draw (with the Wiltshire players looking much happier! But I am assured that there was no truth in the rumour that they had performed a successful rain dance)
So, despite a disappointing performance by the batters, Wiltshire and Dorset shared the points, two points each, and both teams will hope for better fortune (and better weather) going on to next weekends fixtures.
