Lincs ECB Premier: Louth CC First XI tie for second week running

Louth CC First XI claimed the rare distinction of being involved in two successive tied matches in the Lincs ECB Premier.
Arran Brindle was among the wickets for Louth First XI in their tie with Woodhall Spa EMN-170626-180012002Arran Brindle was among the wickets for Louth First XI in their tie with Woodhall Spa EMN-170626-180012002
Arran Brindle was among the wickets for Louth First XI in their tie with Woodhall Spa EMN-170626-180012002

Ties are infrequent in cricket, but after Market Deeping equalled their score seven days earlier, Woodhall Spa incredibly did the same at London Road on Saturday.

Fourth-placed Woodhall got off to a bad start, losing five wickets for just 61 runs, but Jack Timby held the innings together, putting on 51 for the seventh wicket with Tom Caswell and taking the score to 195 before he fell for 89.

At the close of their innings, Woodhall were 208-8 with the Louth attack sharing the wickets around, two apiece for Andy Carrington, Xander Pitchers and Arran Brindle.

Louth’s pursuit got off to a similar start as Laurence Scott, John Medler and Brindle all failed to build on starts, leaving the home side 58-3.

And once again, it was the number three batsman who provided the anchor, with Xander Pitchers adding 76 alongside Matt Hamilton (37).

With three overs to go, Louth still needed 26 runs, and then 15 off two and finally seven off the final over.

The first ball of that over brought the wicket of Pitchers for 76, but Tom Cuthbert and Tom Ryder levelled the scores.

But in a breathless finale, Ryder was run out for five as he went for the winning run off the last ball of the game.

The result left Louth in ninth place, just six points above the bottom two, as they travel to fifth-placed Lindum on Saturday.

* The Second XI dropped a place to fifth in Lincs County League Division One after a four-wicket defeat at unbeaten Outcasts.

After being put into bat first, Louth made a decent start through openers Stewart West (42) and Sam Marshall (25), but slipped from 50-0 to 85-4.

But middle order contributions from Lee Freeman (28), Reggie Koen (26), and skipper Steve Wright (33) helped the visitors to 203-9 from their 45 overs.

The hosts always looked in control of their reply with opener Oliver Coulman (80) and Peter Tait (37) putting on 86 for the third wicket to take Outcasts to 151-3.

And a late flurry of wickets proved too little, too late as the home side reached their target with seven balls to spare.

On Saturday, Louth Seconds travel to Broughton.

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