LINCS ECB PREMIER: Round-up

This week's Lincs ECB Premier news, brough to you by Ann Boulton...
There's a big day of cricket in store at HoveThere's a big day of cricket in store at Hove
There's a big day of cricket in store at Hove

Only two games were completed in the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League, with three abandoned and one rained off early in the day.

However, one of these two games produced the tightest finish possible as, having put Alford in to bat, Lindum were left chasing what seemed a modest 93.

On a pitch affected by the wet weather, it was the spinners who dominated, Tom Lindsay taking six of the visitors’ wickets for 23.

But Alford also had the bowlers for the conditions, Rikki Bovey and Andrew White making steady headway into the Lindum line-up.

The first two wickets fell for six runs and when the ninth went with the home side still needing 35, Alford scented victory.

Jake Benson, who had earlier taken three wickets, was at the crease with eight to his name as former skipper James Kempton came out to join him and this pairing resisted the bowlers’ efforts, pushing the score along and eventually securing a one wicket win to move their team into third place in the table.

Benson ended unbeaten on 30 and Kempton on nine while Bovey and White each took four wickets.

Boston also moved up a place to ninth with their second win of the season after Market Deeping lost seven wickets for nine runs.

Having been put in to bat, Deeping set off well, Josh Smith hitting 43 and sharing a second wicket partnership of 55 with David Sargeant.

At 144 for three, the visitors were looking to set Boston a sizeable challenge.

But Tim Bell had other ideas as he took six wickets in quick succession to bowl Deeping out for 153 and finish with seven for 28 off 12 overs, Tom Poole claiming five wicketkeeping dismissals and Sargeant making 64.

Boston got off to a bad start, losing three wickets for only 26 runs before Fayadh Haffejee and Michael Musson got together in a stand of 103. Haffejee was out for 58 but this was Deeping’s last success as Musson and Tom Baxter saw their side to victory.

Three games survived part of the afternoon, while Louth versus Sleaford was called off early in the day.

Grantham suffered a large number of rain interruptions as they hosted Grimsby Town but managed to reach maximum batting points before declaring after 45 overs with five wickets down, Ross Carnelley making 88 and Dan Webb an unbeaten 60.

Grimsby struggled to contain the bowling of Mat Dowman and newly arrived Antiguan Sammy Peters, but dogged batting from Neal Snell and Harrison Tice took the score to 110 for six before the weather intervened for the final time.

Henry Wilson scored his first Premier League half century for Woodhall Spa in wet conditions.

With the home side’s total on 70 for five, Wilson (61) came out to join Chris Anderson (58) in a partnership of 93 to help the final total to 217 for nine but with Bourne’s score on four without loss, the game had to be abandoned.

Having made only 52 runs from their first 20 overs, thanks to some accurate Spalding bowling, leaders Bracebridge Heath went on to gain maximum batting points after five rain breaks.

Mat Lineker made 76 of the visitors’ 225 for six declared but more rain at tea time ended the game.

Results: Market Deeping 153 (Sargeant 64, Bell 7-28); Boston 156-4 (Haffejee 58); Alford 93 (Lindsay 6-23), Lindum 94-9; Grantham 225-5 dec (Carnelley 88, Webb 60no), Grimsby Town 110-6 - abandoned; Bracebridge Heath 225-6 dec (Lineker 76) v Spalding - abandoned; Woodhall Spa 217-9 (Anderson 58, Wilson 61), Bourne 4-0 - abandoned; Louth v Sleaford - cancelled, wet pitch.