In-form Darke guides Rasen to big win

School half-term holidays and a break in exams allowed the development side to play an ideal mix of youth and experience.

The home side won the toss at Rase Park and invited Boston to bat first.

Opening up with young Megan Quinlan alongside Seb Darke, Rasen soon had Boston under early pressure at 11-2. The innings ebbed and flowed throughout with some top quality fielding keeping the pressure on the Boston batsmen.

All seven bowlers took a wicket with Megan taking two for 13 runs in six overs, one of which coming thanks to a catch at mid-on by her father Andy.

Young Jacob Bennett collected a wicket, and the third Quinlan in the team, James continued his 21st birthday celebrations by wrapping up the innings for 173 in the 32nd over.

Set a target that seemed to have the potential to challenge, Rasen opened with Seb Darke and James Keast, with a combined age of just 35 between them.

They turned out to be the only batsmen required as they both played top class innings from the start.

Keast offered the only real chance when chipping in the air, only to be dropped as he went from 49 to his half-century on his way to an unbeaten 64 from only 46 deliveries.

Darke was even more destructive, scoring his second consecutive century for Rasen with exactly 100 from only 76 deliveries. This season his scores in a Rasen shirt read 14, 111* and 100*.

Rasen reached their target in only 20.2 overs to cap an outstanding win.

The Sunday XI return to league action this weekend at home to Sleaford.