Louth CC First XI make it three straight wins as Boston skittled for 59

Louth Cricket First XI continued their great form with an emphatic Lincs ECB Premier victory over Boston at London Road on Saturday.
Third XI batsman Dean Wright hit his maiden century, reaching exactly 100 not out against Horncastle EMN-180625-152049002Third XI batsman Dean Wright hit his maiden century, reaching exactly 100 not out against Horncastle EMN-180625-152049002
Third XI batsman Dean Wright hit his maiden century, reaching exactly 100 not out against Horncastle EMN-180625-152049002

The nine-wicket win moved them up to fifth in the table and they will look to make it four straight wins at Alford this weekend.

Winning the toss, Boston decided to bat first, but Tom Corden (4 for 13) and Josh Court (1 for 13) opened the bowling and set a high standard of accuracy and skill from ball one.

Backed up by some high-class fielding, particularly from the keeping of Graeme West, who took five victims in the innings, Louth were on top and stayed on top for the rest of the game.

Seb Darke (2 for 9) removed the dangerous Jayarathna, bowled for five, while Xander Pitchers (2 for 22) removed Boston’s top scorer Ward (23).

Their was little resistance to the consistent bowling as Louth chipped away with regular wickets to bowl out Boston for a meagre 59.

In reply, Laurence Scott (23 not out) and Paul Martin (11) opened the batting with the positivity of the previous weeks.

Working through a testing spell of bowling from Boston’s Sri Lankan import Jayarathna, and punishing anything loose, Louth reached their target within 12 overs for the loss of one wicket, Tom Cuthbert ensuring victory with an unbeaten 10.

Louth CC wish to thank kit sponsors Kenwick Park and matchball sponsors Louth VW Centre.

* Louth Third XI bounced back from their heavy defeat at Brigg, with an emphatic home win over Horncastle in Division Four.

On a warm and sunny afternoon at Legbourne, the visitors won the toss and fielded.

Louth’s innings got off to a steady start as returning opener Dean Wright steadily applied the pressure to the Horncastle attack.

Wright was supported at the other end by young debutant opener Freddie Taylor who departed for two with the score on 17.

Strong batting followed, with Steve Sandy scoring a well-paced 29 in a 65-run second-wicket partnership.

Jono Thorndike made a useful 28 as the pair added a further 69 runs, and this was followed by a blistering 62 from Richard Limmer, including 50 in boundaries, in a fourth-wicket stand of 84, made in only nine overs.

Wright continued to steadily amass at the other end and reached his maiden 100 in style as Louth finished their allotted 45 overs on 256-6.

Faced with a substantial target, Horncastle began at a rapid pace through openers Hodgkin and Mansey who put on 47 inside five overs before Mansey was superbly caught on the boundary by Keiron Byrne.

Hodgkin soon followed as Vikas Sharma (7-0-62-2) picked up his second wicket.

The Louth bowlers stuck to the task and steadily picked up wickets while keeping the scoreboard pressure on the visitors.

Fine bowling, particularly from Mark Duell (10-0-41-2) and young John Burrell (4.4-0-18-4), helped the home side to a comfortable 20-point victory as Horncastle were bowled out for 147 in the 30th over.

On Saturday, the Thirds host local rivals Alford Second XI in the league, and on Sunday they travel to Messingham Second XI for a cup semi-final.