Willerton: We’re not focusing on double
UNICORNS
LINCOLNSHIRE stand on the brink of a double trophy face-off against Berkshire but bowler Alex Willerton has warned that they can’t start looking too far ahead.
The paceman will be one of the key men as Lincs take on Hertfordshire in their final game of the Unicorns Championship, with an 18point lead at the top of the Eastern Division.
A draw would set up a Championship final against Western Division winners Berkshire – with the teams already due to meet in the Unicorns Trophy final on August 23. But while that is a potentially mouth-watering double header, Willerton’s focus remains on getting the job done against Herts.
He said: “We are just focusing on the game ahead and not getting ahead of ourselves. It would be fantastic if we could do the double, but we must take each game as it comes.
“If we do face Berkshire, we know they play their cricket quite a lot like we do – always looking to get after you when they bat while looking to make you play all the time when they bowl.
“We’ll be planning to counteract that, but there is only so much you can plan for; we will get there on the day and see how it pans out.”
Willerton has been a standout bowler this season while Lincs’ key man in their batting line-up has been Matthew Lineker.
He has racked up three centuries in the Unicorns Championship, including one against Northumberland last time out, and the former Derbyshire man has been a calming influence in the bid for the double.
Willerton added: “He brings a certain calmness when we’re in difficult situations due to his experience. He helps us relax, think about what we’re doing, and move forward.”
If Lincs slip up against Herts, three teams are waiting to leapfrog them at the top of the table.
The closest challengers are Staffordshire, who are 18 points back and face Cambridgeshire, while Cumberland are three points further back before they take on Buckinghamshire.
Finally, Suffolk could still sneak through mathematically as they sit 23 points back before taking on Bedfordshire.