LINCS ECB PREMIER: Semi-final slots confirmed after group stages come to an end

Bourne and Bracebridge Heath secured their places in the Lincolnshire ECB Premier League play-offs with wins over Sleaford and Market Deeping respectively.

Playing at Sleaford, Bourne made the day’s highest total of 205 with Sam Evison hitting 56 and putting on 109 for the first wicket with Jack Berry (44) before both were dismissed by Angus Youles.

Drew Habron took five for 55 for Sleaford who in reply lost an early wicket. The second fell on 22 and the innings never really recovered as from 52 for six, Tom Bentley cleaned up the lower order, taking four for five off 19 balls.

Market Deeping got off to a steady start at Bracebridge Heath but scoring was slow and at the close the visitors had reached only 137 for nine, Andy Carter and Ben Whitehouse each taking three wickets.

The home side also found runs hard to come by and lost seven wickets before reaching their target in the 37th over.

Lindum and Grantham consolidated their top places in the divisions, with Lindum’s Will Wright the day’s top scorer, carrying his bat for 99, having taken three wickets in the first innings which saw Boston all out for 143.

Lindum lost a wicket on 10 but Wright and Will Taylor put on 66 for the second wicket until the introduction of Martin Hodgson to the attack, which reduced Lindum to 83 for four. Two more wickets fell – including Hodgson’s fourth – but the Boston bowlers couldn’t remove Wright and Lindum went on to win by four wickets.

Grantham travelled to Louth who made 150 before the final wicket fell in the 40 th over. Scoring was slow but steady until Stewart West and Henry Tye livened up the innings, hitting 29 and 26 respectively and Graham West added 15, but the return of Mark Footitt to the attack saw the last three wickets fall in quick succession.

The visitors also scored slowly but Ross Carnelley and Jaden Fell put together a good opening partnership of 49. Ben Coddington then anchored the innings and despite losing three more partners, hitting the winning runs to finish on 50 and give Grantham victory.

Scunthorpe, with five teenagers in a very young side, secured their second win of the season when they bowled Woodhall Spa out for 116, Danny Cliff taking three of the wickets while Ben Crew earned the distinction of taking a wicket with his first ball in his first game for the 1 st XI.

The visitors then struggled to 49 for five but 41 from Jamie Brumby and Cliffe’s 21, both unbeaten, saw them home.

Results: Boston 143, Lindum 147-6 (Wright 99); Louth 150, Grantham 152-5 (Coddington 50); Bourne 205 (Evison 56, Habron 5-55), Sleaford 69; Market Deeping 137-9, Bracebridge Heath 138-7; Woodhall Spa 116, Scunthorpe Town 117-5.

Fixtures for September 12, play-off semi-finals: Bourne v Lindum, Grantham v Bracebridge Heath; Other game: Sleaford v Louth.