Lindow's season instantly sparked into life with a resounding 64 run victory away at Romiley. The new opening partnership of Richard Robinson and Joe Booth set the tone, putting on a formidable 85 run opening partnership. Robinson marked his debut with a swashbuckling 43, the day's top score. After a middle order wobble Lindow found themselves on 166 for 9 before Henry Grover's stumps were dismantled almost immediately, ending the innings.
Grover and Scott Howarth set the tone with the ball straight away with Howarth finishing with three wickets to his name – including the highly-rated Indian professional whom he dismissed for a duck. Lindow's fielding was formidable and, coupled with tight bowling, the Wilmslow side had a real stranglehold on the game. Sam Walker produced a classy spell of fast bowling to ensure Lindow ripped through Romiley's shell-shocked middle order before the new captain, Ben Tyler, brought himself on to bowl. Tyler quickly put the game to bed and finished with four wickets to his name.
This performance represents a big improvement for Lindow, who did not win until the half way point of the 2014 season. The Upcast Lane club can smell blood ahead of their first home game against recently-promoted Disley.
The 2nd XI started the new campaign against one of last season's high flyers Romiley, and after being put into bat first after losing the toss, were soon in trouble. Losing several batsmen cheaply, Lindow were struggling at 60-6 and the opposition well on top, but they reckoned without the class of Lindow's new recruit Arpan Desai. The Lindow No.3 started his innings with great circumspection, but after playing himself in began to unleash a series of scintillating shots. Joined by Ben Rose, who immediately looked at ease at the crease, the two put on a superb partnership, Rose eventually falling for 51, Desai for a superb 95, setting the visitors a challenging target of 192 for victory.
Despite a solid opening partnership, Romiley never really threatened to take the points. With not much in the pitch for the seamers, Lindow soon turned to spin and Matthew Ramsden's (4-51) teasing leg spin and Alex Bosshardt's (5-20) controlled left arm off spin worked in tandem to see Romiley bowled out for 130. Maximum points for the home team and a marker set down for the rest of the season.
Match report by David Kendrick.
