COUNTY CRICKET ROUND-UP: Lincs ECB Premier

Two performances stood out in the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League – the first double century since Jim Morgan’s for Grimsby in 2011 and an eight-wicket haul that cut Woodhall Spa’s lead at the top of the table to four points.

Tom Shorthouse hit an unbeaten 203 for Sleaford who notched up 355 for two at Spalding, while Amila Wettasinghe was the architect of Louth’s victory over Woodhall Spa with a haul of eight for 42.

Meanwhile, Bracebridge Heath’s victory over Grimsby Town brought them 20 points and Sleaford’s win at Spalding kept them third, four ahead of Bourne - for whom Tom Dixon took five wickets and Pete Morgan hit 80 in a 10-wicket victory over Market Rasen, who were bowled out for 101.

At the bottom of the table, four clubs are falling away from the rest, with Spalding and Grimsby occupying the two demotion places while Market Rasen - seven above Grimsby – and Skegness with a five-point advantage over Rasen are still at risk.

Karanjit Bansal was also among the high scorers, his unbeaten 169 at Market Deeping helping Grantham open up a 27-point gap over the bottom four. Neil Stevenson then took five Deeping wickets as the home side hung on for a losing draw with 155 for eight.

Luke Robinson was the third century maker of the day with 123 of Lindum’s 246 for five at home to Skegness.

Alex Hornsby contributed 53 to Lindum’s total but the seasiders hung on for the extra three points, finishing with 189 for eight.

Brett Houston put in a man-of-the-match performance for Bracebridge, making 73 runs in a total of 285 for eight and taking five wickets.

Paul Cook hit 50 in an opening partnership of 70 with Nick John but in reply Grimsby were unable to build any sizeable stands and were bowled out for 115.

Sam Evison was unbeaten on 56 when Woodhall’s final wicket fell on 150 and Laurence Scott contributed 51 to Louth’s winning total of 154 for five, four of the wickets falling to Malinga Bandara.

Results: Market Rasen 101 (Dixon 5-31), Bourne 104-0 (Morgan 80no); Bracebridge Heath 285-8 (Cook 50, Houston 73), Grimsby Town 115 (Houston 5-35); Grantham 293-4 (Bansal 169no), Market Deeping 155-8 (Stevenson 5-58); Woodhall Spa 150 (Evison 56no, Wettasinghe 8-42), Louth 154-5 (Scott 51); Sleaford 355-2 (Shorthouse 203no), Spalding 88; Lindum 246-5 (Robinson 123, Hornsby 53), Skegness 189-8.

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