CHESHIRE inflicted a first defeat of the season on Lincolnshire to end a disappointing T20 campaign on a positive note.

They prevailed by six wickets in the opener at New Brighton on Sunday before the second match was washed out.

Improving Oulton Park teenager Ben Gibbon grabbed 3-25, while slow left-armer David Wainwright added 3-10 from his four overs, to restrict the visitors to 109.

Motivated to avenge a defeat in the Knockout Trophy against the same opponents a fortnight earlier, Cheshire reached their target with 13 balls to spare.

Will Evans made 31, while Rob Sehmi (24) and Nick Anderson (23) contributed too.

SCORECARD > Cheshire 112-4 Lincolnshire 109

Lincolnshire still topped the table, a point gained from the cancelled game securing for them a place at finals day.

“We got some pride back,” reflected Rick Moore, Cheshire’s captain.

“It was a no-nonsense performance all around and it was pleasing to see our bowling come together ahead of the start of the three-day season.”

Cheshire start their latest term in the Western Division, with Oulton Park opener Danny Leech at the helm, when Wiltshire visit Chester Boughton Hall this weekend.

Pete Babbage, chairman of the cricket committee, is encouraged by what he saw last weekend.

He said: “It was a good response to the disappointments we’ve had in the past couple of weeks.

“We know we can play at a higher standard, and I was really pleased to get a result after a disciplined performance.”

Results

Unicorns T20

Sunday, June 16

Group One: Cheshire 112-4 Lincolnshire 109 (at New Brighton, second match cancelled); Staffordshire 123-6 Cumberland 89-3 (at Knypersley, second match cancelled).

TABLE > How they finished