Lincs County League Premier: Caistor & Rasen make their move

Defending champions Caistor saw off Grimsby by 81 runs for their fifth straight win to stay 22 points behind leaders Scothern whom they meet this weekend.

Rasen’s bowlers, meanwhile, impressed in a 71-run victory at Nettleham to move within 13 points of the top four.

Grimsby won the toss at Brigg Road and asked Caistor to bat first on their own wicket.

A knock of 49 from opener Harry Boulton, a round 50 from Pete Briggs and 28 from Rory Ronaldson helped Caistor to post a total of 199-8 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Grimsby were turned over for 118 in 33 overs, despite 37 from Elliot Drinkall and 25 from Andrew Pearson.

Caistor bowler Sean Woolley was man-of-the-match for his figures of 5 for 59 in 13 overs, while Kieran Brooker claimed 4 for 27 in 12 overs.

Over at Nettleham, Rasen soon found themselves in big trouble after being put in to bat.

Haydn Bromfield (3 for 56) and George Cooper (4 for 34) ran riot early on, reducing the visitors to 27-4, with Cooper bowling skipper Matt Rutherford for nine.

Neil Davies anchored the innings, putting on 82 with David Papworth until the latter was run out for 37 by Bromfield.

Chris Higgins joined Davies and bludgeoned two sixes and three fours in a 20-ball cameo worth 32.

Davies then began to accelerate before he was finally eighth wicket to fall for 68, dismissed by Bromfield as Rasen were eventually dismissed for a defendable 198.

Daniel Clark made an early breakthrough in the reply, but Nettleham looked on top at 88-1 until Daniel Norburn trapped Tom Lea (24) and opener Jack Thornton soon followed, caught and bowled by Rutherford for 47.

Nettleham offered little resistance after that as Rutherford (6 for 25) and Norburn (3 for 54) took charge.

No other batsmen reached double figures as the hosts lost their last eight wickets for 33 runs to be bowled out for 126.

On Saturday, Caistor head to Scothern for a top-of-the-table clash, while Market Rasen host Hartsholme at Rase Park (1pm start).

* In County League Division Two, Caistor Second XI went to Hartsholme with only 10 men.

The visitors batted first and with 29 from opener Jack Kent and 37 from wicketkeeper George Montgomery, Caistor could only amass 109 before they were bowled out.

In reply, Caistor had both Hartsholme openers out for ducks, including Stewart Phillipson, who once scored a double-hundred against South Kelsey, bowled by Matty Blackburn in his haul of 2 for 15 from 12 overs, which included five maidens.

However only two more wickets were to fall as Caistor were overcome by six wickets.