Four-some Rasen claim another title

Spalding Ladies 75 all out, Market Rasen Ladies 78-4

Market Rasen Ladies clinched a fourth league title in a row as they beat Spalding on Sunday.

Rasen won the toss and elected to field and started well, restricting the home side by bowling excellent line and lengths.

They grabbed an early wicket, before Spalding then recovered to put on a 30-run partnership.

However, the Rasen attack continued to pile on the pressure as skipper Beth Smith got the breakthrough bowling Connie Gittins for 16.

That wicket sparked a major collapse as Rasen took the other eight wickets for only 43 runs to bowl Spalding out for 75.

Beth Smith finished with impressive figures of 3-6 from three overs.

In reply, Rasen started strong as the pair of Becky Brooker and Alexia Paige-Graves put on 32 for the first wicket to leave the visitors in a commanding position.

When Brooker fell for 25 Spalding were able to grab three quick wickets as Rasen wobbled towards the total.

However, Smith came to the crease and she and Catherine Fussey guided the team to victory and to a fourth title in four years.

Lincoln League Division Two

Horncastle 78-4, Market Rasen 75 all out

Market Rasen Sunday were brought back down to earth at the hands of champions Horncastle at Coronation Walk this weekend.

The home side won the toss and made the obvious decision to bowl first on a damp track.

Rasen started well and soon raced to 23 in the first six overs.

However, the innings soon changed as visitors slipped to 26-3.

The pair of Daniel Clark and Dale Chambers then went about rescuing the innings as the pair put on 33 to see Rasen past 50.

When Clark was bowled for 13 the lower order collapsed as Rasen were bowled out for 75, Chambers top scoring with 26.

Rasen took an early wicket as they looked to put pressure on the home side.

Things would have looked even better for Rasen if they had held onto their catches.

But Horncastle then set about chasing down the low total as quickly as they possibly could.

The second wicket put on 50 runs as they looked to cruise towards victory. Knowing a couple of wickets would bring some bowling points, the spin of James Quinlan and Konrad Ramsey caused the home side some problems as Quinlan took three wickets in two overs to see Horncastle go from 64-1 to 66-4.

In the end Rasen didn’t quite have enough on the board as Horncastle hit the winning runs in the 19th over.

This week the Sunday XI welcome Owmby to Rase Park for their final home game of the season (1.30pm).