Grimsby Town Cricket Club are re-vamping their popular Monday Night Knockout this season. New teams have been invited, the competition and trophy has been re-named and every match will be supported by local businesses who are sponsoring the tournament.

The Knockout is very much an institution in the town, having started back in 1936 as a fundraiser when the Club were looking to finance their move to Augusta Street. This season the competition will be known as the Super 16 KO, reflecting the fact that each team bats for 16 eight ball overs in games, which makes it unique in these days of 20/20 cricket.

This year, clubs will be competing for the Brian Christie Trophy, as the Grimsby Town CC committee have decided to honour one of their best ever players. Brian Christie, who sadly passed away during the Winter, was a former Chairman and Captain of the Club and played for both the Lincolnshire County Cricket Club and the League Representative side.

Over the years the competition has attracted many famous cricketers, including Test Match players. In the 1980s spectators saw two of the World’s top allrounders in action when Richard Hadlee and Clive Rice played in the Final, they also saw England batsmen Derek Randall and Allan Lamb at Augusta Street. They were followed by Kiwis Matthew Sinclair and Jacob Oram and Aussie Andy Bichel. Then two years ago spectators were delighted to see Jonny Bairstow and Glenn Maxwell turn up to play for the Lincolnshire Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers have been the “stand out” team in recent years and newcomers Scunthorpe Town and Rilmac will be keen to challenge them for the KO Trophy. Scunthorpe have just been promoted to the Lincolnshire ECB Premier League and Rilmac are an invitation side and sponsors of the Club. Also looking to win the competition will be hosts Grimsby Town, Cleethorpes, Louth, Appleby Frodingham, Caistor and Lincolnshire CCC Development.

The draw for this year’s competition will take place in the Augusta Street Clubhouse on Friday 20 April at 7.30pm, with all teams and sponsors invited.

Once again Bridge McFarland Solicitors will be sponsoring the final, with the Rilmac Group and Grimsby Signs sponsoring the semis. Previews and reports for all games will be provided in the Telegraph during the competition. The action starts on Monday 4 June, with the Preliminary Round and a schedule of games will be announced in the Telegraph as soon as the draw has been completed.

The article was originally published in the Grimsby Telegraph