‘Fingers crossed’ for cricket action

Louis Kimber and Nic Keast scored centuries as Lincs CCC secured Division One status last year.

Imp County were due to begin their campaign with T20 action later this month, in a season that is also due to see them host Durham and play in a new-look league.

Following three straight Eastern Division titles, the club finished fourth last season to secure their place in the new Eastern Division One, following a restructure.

Lincs are due to meet Staffordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in Division One this year, but question marks remain following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the first NCCA Championship match isn’t pencilled in until July 12’s arrival of Norfolk for a contest at Cleethorpes, there is no telling how long lockdown will continue.

The ECB have currently postponed all cricket until the end of May.

That includes the beginning of Lincolnshire’s NCCA T20 competition, due to begin on April 26, with three further fixtures in May.

The T20 competition - in which Lincs reached the semi-finals last year before suffering an 11-run defeat at Dorset - is currently postponed, with officials hoping the matches can be played later in the year.

The first 50-ball NCCA Trophy contest is set to begin on June 14 with Herefordshire visiting Bracebridge Heath.

“Fingers crossed we can have some cricket this year,” Mr Keywood said.

“It’s a bit like football, everyone’s having to train at home at the moment. Nets started in January but that’s had to stop.

“There are some very good sides in Division One, Staffordshire particularly are a good side.

“But nobody knows what will happen at the moment.”

Durham are due to visit Grantham on Friday, July 17.

But that contest, like all others, remains up in the air.

“We are due to host Durham. The National Counties sides each host a first class county,” Mr Keywood added.

“We don’t know what will happen yet. We have made some preliminary arrangements, but things are on hold as we don’t want to be spending lots of money when we don’t know what will happen.”

Mr Keywood added that the lack of club action, combined with not knowing exactly which competitions will take place, means the prospect of bringing new players into the side this year remains unknown.