Lincs County League: Brindle and West lead Louth victory charge

After a lacklustre start to the Lincolnshire County League season, with successive defeats to Alkborough and Caistor, skipper Arran Brindle and stalwart Stewart West were determined to put runs on the board after losing the toss and been put into bat.

After a steady start the pair rarely looked in trouble and the 50-run partnership arrived in the 15th over.

By the 20th over, with the score on 86-0, West had his first half-century of the season, and by the drinks break the pair had put on 100.

After drinks West upped the scoring rate and looked set for three figures until he was run out on 78 by a superb throw (141-1).

Louth looked to push on and skipper Brindle finally reached her 50 in the 35th over with the score on 168-2.

Never offering a chance to their determined hosts, the skipper (78 not out) steered the visitors to a respectable 213-4.

Defending a decent total for the first time in the league this season, opening bowlers West and Reg Keon put the Scunthorpe openers under increasing pressure.

The first wicket fell at 15 to a routine catch from Lincolnshire over 60s county player Keith West (bowled son, caught dad) before a wicket for the determined Keon left Scunny reeling on 26-2.

Battling hard and dropped catches allowed the home side to regroup to 92-2 at drinks in the 22nd over.

With an inspirational change, Adam Grist came into the attack and clean bowled Ibrhim for 37. The very next over Leek was clean bowled by Fisher after failing to trouble the scorers as the game turned quickly towards Louth.

Setting up Artin with a floating delivery, Rob Spencer held a towering catch on the boundary (98-5), and Grist and Fisher then removed the Quibell brothers, both lbw, in consecutive overs.

The game was over within another eight deliveries as another deep boundary catch by Brindle and a debut league wicket, caught and bowled, for Patrick Byrne saw Scunny slump to 111 all out.