LINCS ECB PREMIER: Round-up

Tied games in cricket are few and far between but in the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League, Louth have managed it twice in successive weeks.

Having seen Market Deeping equal their score last weekend, this week it was Louth who were doing the chasing at home to Woodhall Spa.

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 being out for 89.

At the close, Woodhall were 208 for eight and their opponents’ pursuit got off to a similar start, three wickets going for 58 runs.

Once again, it was the number three batsman who provided the anchor, Xander Pitchers adding 76 with Matt Hamilton.

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

The first ball of that over brought the wicket of Pitchers for 76, Tom Cuthbert and Tom Ryder levelled the scores but going for the winning run off the last ball of the game, Ryder was run out.

Elsewhere, Matt Lineker fell four runs short of becoming the first double centenarian of the season as Bracebridge Heath racked up 363 runs for the loss of only four wickets at home to Lindum.

Lineker and Brett Houston (50) added 134 for the second wicket and the opener shared a fourth wicket partnership of 205 with Matt Carter (57).

In reply, steady batting down the order saw Lindum reach 221 before the final wicket fell.

Jonny Cheer also scored a century as Boston secured a much-needed win over Spalding.

Jonathan Miles took three Boston wickets for 47 runs before Cheer got together with Fayadh Haffejee (76) to add 208, and Cheer was unbeaten on 160 when the innings ended on 284 for four.

A poor start for Spalding saw them 20 for three but the middle order dug in and began to take the attack to Boston, Miles hitting 55 and Ben Smith 53.

However the home side fell behind the run rate and at the close had reached 214 for nine.

At Grimsby, the Tice brothers made it a family affair against Bourne, Hayden taking five for 34 and Harrison four wickets to restrict the visitors to 193 all out in the 42nd over.

But Colin Cheer was also on good bowling form and his five for 35 helped bowl Grimsby out for 102.

Alford travelled to Sleaford where skipper Shaun Morris hit 61 to help his side to 235 all out.

Morris then took the first two Alford wickets for 39 runs but Rikki Bovey dug in to make 74.

However, the Sleaford bowlers proved too strong for the visiting batsmen and the final wicket fell on 153.

Grantham captain Dan Webb led his side to a total of 291 for six, making an unbeaten 105 after the first two wickets had fallen for 37 runs.

Mat Dowman hit 60 but the Market Deeping batsmen took advantage of the good pitch, Ross Barnes and David Gillett putting on 70 for the fourth wicket.

Gillett went on to make 58 and at the close the visitors had reached 209 for eight.

Results: Bracebridge Heath 363-4 (Lineker 196, Houston 50, M. Carter 57), Lindum 221; Bourne 193 (Hayden Tice 5-34), Grimsby 102 (Cheer 5-35); Boston 284-4 (Cheer 160 no, Haffejee 76), Spalding 214-9 (Miles 55, Smith 53); Sleaford 235 (Morris 61), Alford 153 (Bovey 74); Grantham 291-6 (Dowman 60, Webb 105no), Market Deeping 209-8 (Gillett 58); Woodhall Spa 208-8 (J Timby 89), Louth 208-9 (Pitchers 76).