County is given cup showdown with Notts (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

County is given cup showdown with Notts

WILTSHIRE return to cricket's big stage this season after a break of 11 years.

Their reward for enjoying their best campaign for many years and finishing a highly creditable fourth in the Western Division of the Minor Counties Championship was qualification for the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.

In the second round of the competition, previously known as the Nat West Trophy, Wiltshire have been drawn at home at Westbury against Nottinghamshire on May 5.

They were relegated from Division One of the county championship last season but Wiltshire manager Brian White is expecting a good match.

He said: "They will have a very strong side and it should be a good day's cricket. It is a rare chance for our supporters to see a first class county.''

It will be the first time that Wiltshire have entertained a first class county since June 1993 when they entertained Durham, featuring the legendary England Test star Ian Botham at Trowbridge.

On that occasion, in one of Botham's last first class cricket matches, the former all-rounder struck a lusty 55 which included nine fours. It help Durham to 320-5 off their allotted 60 overs with Stewart Hutton and Phil Bainbridge top scoring with 95 and 82 respectively.

In reply despite a sparkling 73 from opener Lawrence Smith and a late 48 from David Simpkins, Wiltshire only scored 217-8 to fall 103 runs short.

Nottinghamshire will provide very tough opposition as their two overseas players are Australian Test stars Damian Martyn (right hand middle-order batsman) and leg spin bowler Stuart MacGill.

Spin king MacGill took 40 wickets in only six County Championship matches last season, includuding 14 wickets in the win over Middlesex.

Notts also include in their side former England and Kent all-rounder Mark Ealham, Ryan Sidebottom and 23-year-old England Academy batting sensation Kevin Pietersen.

A big crowd are expected at Westbury for the C&G Trophy match as Wiltshire face a team considered to be one of the best county cricket teams in the country.

Match day parking is being provided at £5 per car and disabled facilities will be available. Match scorecards will be available for £1 each.

Tickets bought on match day will be £8 but only £7 each if bought beforehand. OAP's and Under 16's will be £4.

For ticket availabilty e-mail tickets@wiltsvnotts.co.uk or phone either (01225) 777500 or 07977 254262

For more details visit the match website at www.wiltsvnotts.co.uk

Two days prior to the C&G game Wilts face Berkshire in a warm-up challenge for the Marlborough Cup at Devizes.

They also play a friendly at the Rose Bowl against Hants 2nds on May 17 before kicking-off their Minor Counties Championship challenge for 2004 at Colwall on May 23-25 against Herefordshire.

The next is home to Cornwall at Trowbridge on June 13-15 while the last of the six is away to Devon at Exmouth on August 22-24.

Wiltshire also face one other important cup tie. They have been drawn away in the second round of the Minor Counties Knockout Cup on June 20 to Herefordshire or Shropshire, both sides they will also face in the western division of the minor counties championship.

If successful they will be away to either Dorset or Norfolk in the quarter-finals in July. Wiltshire reached the final of this competition in 1993 but lost to Staffordshire at Lord's.