Taverners begin campaign with loss

Skegness conceded the game last Sunday as they could not raise a team so Louth players were all looking forward to their first game of the new season.

Louth skipper Zubair Ahmed lost the toss and Telford decided to bat first.

After a steady start by Tetford Luke Johnson got the breakthrough in the fifth over with the score on 10.

Imran Cheema bowled very well from the other end, keeping the pressure on Tetford’s batsman and striking twice (8-3-14-2).

With the first change Khawar Naeem came to bowl and surprised the Tetford batsman with his swing bowling taking three wickets in his second over, which was also a maiden over.

He took another wicket in his third over leaving Tetford struggling at 64-7.

Khawar finished with excellent figures of 6-2-18-5.

It seems that Tetford could be all out for a low score.

A counter attack by Wood (47) and Tetford Skipper Smith (37), batting with lower order batsman, took the total score to 166 much to the surprise of Louth players, who didn’t do well in the field with few dropped catches and poor ground fielding towards the end.

Louth started their chase of 167 runs very aggressively with Zain Siddiqui attacking Tetford’s bowlers from the start.

A good opening partnership of 36 saw the score steadily progressing, but losing wickets at regular interval kept pressure on Louth by some tight and steady bowling.

Wood (3-1-12-3), Roberts (3-0-10-2).Joe Smith (3-0-3-1) were the pick of Tetford bowlers. At the end the score proved too much for the Louth batsman and they were all out for 100.

Louth hosts the League leader Alford on Sunday, looking for improvement.