Openers dominate for National Counties in European Championship

National Counties XI openers Harrison Ward and Dan Lincoln flayed an unbroken first wicket partnership of 178 to set up a crushing 93  runs victory over hosts Spain in their first match in the Championship Week of the  Dream11 European Championship in Malaga. 

Oxfordshire’s Ward, who is now contracted to Sussex, and Berkshire’s Lincoln struck 18 sixes and ten fours between them in the T10 contest at the Cartama Oval. National Counties are representing England at the 15-nation tournament and qualified for the Championship Week having won Group C last week. 

The pair plundered five sixes in a seven-ball over from Paul Hennessy that included a no ball and cost 31 runs. 

Ward finished on 92 not out from 31 balls and Lincoln on 82 not out from 30 balls with National Counties’ total being the third highest in the tournament so far after Netherlands’ 200 for one against Romania and Austria’s 195 for four, also against Romania. 

Despite 31 from opener Yasir Ali, Spain were kept in check by the National Counties’ bowlers and slipped quietly to 85 for eight. 

Wiltshire’s former England Under-19 seamer Arthur Godsal took two for 11 in his two overs, both wickets falling the space of three balls in his second over. 

Sam Pearce, of Wales NC, then silenced the tail by taking three for 22, including two wickets in the final over of the match 

National Counties continue their campaign on Tuesday October 5 with a double-header against Netherlands and Belgium.