Lincolnshire cricket round-up

Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League

Bracebridge Heath’s lead at the top of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League was cut to just three points after the Lincoln side went down to Skegness, while challengers Woodhall Spa secured a winning draw against Bourne.

Two teams topped the 300 mark in a weekend that saw four centuries, Luke Robinson leading the way with 182 and Grantham’s Karanjit Bansal, Amila Wettasinghe at Louth and Market Deeping skipper David Gillett also make a ton.

Outstanding bowling and fielding were the highlights at Bracebridge Heath who were left chasing a modest 215 of which Peter Houghton made 59.

Matt Carter took four wickets for Bracebridge but the home side’s pursuit was cut short by Umar Farooq and Brendan Young, who reduced them to 50 for four.

Tom Cutherbert and Pradeep Chanditha then took over the attack and wickets continued to fall, Young returning to take the final one to finish with three wickets as Bracebridge were all out for 111.

Woodhall picked up their points in a high-scoring game at Bourne that brought five half centuries.

Having won the toss and electing to bat, Woodhall’s openers set the pace - Jack Luffman and Jack Hughes putting on 99.

Luffman made 50 and Hughes went on to make 81, sharing a partnership of 66 with Malinga Bandara who in turn put on 73 with Ricky Lovelace (37).

Malinga was out for 71 to Martin Shillito who finished with three wickets as Woodhall’s innings ended on 272 for six.

Bourne also set off well, Stroud brothers Ben and Archie sharing an opening stand of 83 before Ben fell to Bandara.

From 110 for two, Archie Stroud and Pete Morgan added 66 before Stroud also fell victim to Bandara for 58.

Morgan made 52 but Bourne fell behind the run rate and could only hang on for the extra points for a draw with 228 for eight.

Grantham recorded the day’s highest team total with 326 for six, Karanjit Bansal hitting 148 off 130 balls and sharing an opening partnership of 179 with Dan Webb (92), then adding 113 with Rohan Nurse (46).

Joe Peck and Neil Stevenson then took five wickets each as Spalding were bowled out for 69.

Louth also topped the 300 mark, Amila Wettasinghe hitting 145 and Jason Collinson 72.

But Grimsby Town’s batting improvement continued, new signing Michael Brown making 69 and Joe Farmery 63 as the visitors hung on to their final wicket to earn a draw with 226 for nine.

Market Deeping halted Market Rasen’s winning run, posting 241 for nine after David Gillett celebrated his birthday with a knock of 104.

Having lost the first wicket on seven, Gillett and Alex Wheatley added 97 and Gillett added 57 for the seventh wicket with Mehul Adatia.

When the skipper was finally out, caught off Paul Martin, Deeping were 230 for 8, Martin and Matt Rutherford both finishing with three wickets.

Rasen lost their first wicket on 18, then Martin and Charlie Scales took the score to 59.

But from here, the visitors collapsed to 70 for five as Adatia joined the attack and the final wicket fell on 124, Adatia with five for 19 off 12 overs.

At Lindum, Luke Robinson halted a slide that saw the home side lose their first three wickets for 27 runs. Robinson added 75 with Geoff Middleton (25) and 54 with Charlie Tomlinson (two) before being caught behind off Cameron Hall for 182 which came off just 120 balls with 21 fours and four sixes.

Lindum finished on 282 for nine and immediately halted Sleaford’s pursuit with a wicket on 13.

Tim McIntosh went next, becoming the first of Jake Benson’s victims with the total on 40 and from here, despite 48 from Tom Shorthouse, the visitors were unable to build a sizeable stand, Benson finishing with six for 38 off 16 overs as Sleaford were all out for 118.

Results: Grantham 326-6 (Bansal 148, Webb 92), Spalding 69 (Peck 5-39, Stevenson 5-30); Woodhall Spa 272-6 (Luffman 50, Hughes 81, Bandara 71), Bourne 228-8 (A Stroud 58, Morgan 52); Lindum 282-8 (Robinson 182), Sleaford 118 (J Benson 6-38); Skegness 215 (Houghton 59), Bracebridge Heath 111; Market Deeping 241-9 (Gillett 104), Market Rasen 124 (Adatia 5-19); Louth 306-5 (Collinson 72, Wettasinghe 145), Grimsby Town 226-9 (Brown 69, Farmery 63);

South Lincolnshire and Border League Premier Division

Boston retained their 12-point lead at the top of the South Lincolnshire & Border League Premier Division with a 10-wicket win over Spalding Seconds, with challengers Billingborough also picking up the maximum against Moulton Harrox.

Bourne Seconds remain third after the tightest game of the day which saw just one run separate the teams.

Tom Dixon’s unbeaten century helped Woodhall Spa Seconds to 254 for nine and at the close of the Bourne innings, the visitors were just short on 253 for eight.

Martin Parmley recorded the day’s highest individual total with 150 not out for Grantham Seconds.

From 69 for two, Parmley and Matthew Wing (83 no) saw their side to 273 for two against Stamford Town who were bowled out for 115.

At Sleaford, Jack Wilson was run out on 49 as the home side were bowled out for 208, a total Lindum Ramblers were unable to match, finishing on 176 for nine.

And Belton Park went down by nine wickets to Long Sutton.

Scott Tite was the pick of the Premier Division bowlers with seven for 48 in Billingborough’s two wicket win over Moulton while Dave Newman hit an unbeaten 60 to take Boston to victory.

South Lincolnshire and Border League Division One

In Division One, Market Deeping Seconds remain undefeated and have built up a 32-point lead over Grantham Thirds.

Deeping bowled Cavaliers out for 58 then lost four wickets reaching their target while Will Abbott took five for 19 for Grantham in their seven wicket win over Billingborough Seconds.

Newly promoted Freiston moved into third, just four points behind Grantham, after making 163 against Boston Seconds, for whom Tim Bell claimed seven for 46 and Tom Poole took five catches behind the stumps.

Poole then went on to top score with 29 as Boston were all out for 125.

Lindum Thirds, promoted with Freiston, are also holding their own in the higher division, lying sixth after a four wicket win over Long Sutton Seconds for whom Rajan Sangha hit 64.

South Lincolnshire and Border League Division Two

Claypole marched on at the top of Division Two after just one over from Joe Attewell brought him four Graves Park wickets for three runs, including a hat trick.

Earlier, James King had made 55 before becoming the first victim for Ryan Lawson who went on to take five for 13 and reduce Claypole from 145-5 to 161 all out.

Graves Park then reached 128 for six before Attewell triggered a collapse to 129 all out.

Josh Lawrence hit his maiden senior half century for Spalding Thirds, sharing a third wicket stand of 108 with Jim Clarke (57) in a successful run chase against Boston Thirds, for whom Sean Barnett made 91 of his team’s total of 185.

And five wickets for Burgh & District’s Tony Beardsley could not prevent a two-wicket victory for Timberland for whom Dan Blankley hit 58.

Results:

Premier Division: Sleaford 2nd 208, Lindum Ramblers 176-9; Belton Park 75, Long Sutton 76-1; Moulton Harrox 150 (Tite 7-48), Billingborough 151-8; Woodhall Spa 2nd 254-9 (Dixon 102no, Binns 5-27), Bourne 2nd 253-8; Spalding 2nd 120, Boston 121-0 (Newman 60no); Grantham 2nd 273-2 (Parmley 150no, M Wing 83no), Stamford Town 115.

Division One: Freiston 163 (Bell 7-46), Boston 2nd 125; Cavaliers 58, Market Deeping 59-4; Billingborough 2nd 91 (Abbott 5-19), Grantham 3rd 92-3; Long Sutton 2nd 160 (Sangha 64), Lindum 3rd 161-6.

Division Two - Pinchbeck 221-8 (Jackson 89, Martin 5-41), Belton Park 2nd 190-7 (Turner 66no); Boston 3rd 185 (S Barnett 91), Spalding 3rd 186-7 (Clarke 57, Lawrence 59); Claypole 161 (King 55, Lawson 5-13), Graves Park 129 (J Attewell 4-3 inc hat trick); Burgh & District 119, Timberland 122-8 (Blankley 58, Beardsley 5-32).