Market Rasen CC: First XI slump at bottom side Lindum

Market Rasen First XI suffered a surprise defeat as Lindum Second XI moved off the foot of the table on Saturday.
Matt Rutherford took three wickets and top scored for Rasen Firsts EMN-170731-132015002Matt Rutherford took three wickets and top scored for Rasen Firsts EMN-170731-132015002
Matt Rutherford took three wickets and top scored for Rasen Firsts EMN-170731-132015002

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat, but soon found themselves in all kinds of trouble on 29-4 from the first 14 overs of the match.

On a slow pitch, Rasen’s opening bowlers kept it tight and took early wickets.

Throughout the first half of the innings Rasen kept the pressure on with a mixture of good seam bowling and the spin of Matt Rutherford as Lindum struggled to set a sizeable score.

However, with 15 overs to go, Lindum’s middle and lower order seized the initiative and began to score freely as Grant Watkins (44) and Dan Taylor (41) upped the scoring rate to see Lindum to 142-7 after 50 overs.

In reply Rasen got off to a good start, scoring 25 for the first wicket in the first 12 overs.

But the visitors then lost two wickets in the space of seven balls and were soon struggling at the halfway stage on 62-4.

Matt Rutherford (47) and Lee Chambers (11) combined to share a stand of 35 to guide Rasen past the 100 mark, and what looked like on course for a comfortable victory.

The game soon turned again when Chambers was run out, sparking a collapse as Lindum upped the pressure to keep the scoring rate down while continuing to take wickets.

Rasen narrowly missed out as they finished seven runs short on 135-9 in their 50 overs and slipped to seventh.

On Saturday they host Barton for a 1pm start.

Lindum: 142-7.

Bowling: W. Bradford 6-1-7-1; C. Scales 10-2-32-1; R. Penniston 9-1-19-0; M. Rutherford 16-8-29-3; C. Higgins 8-0-35-1; I. Williams 1-0-13-1.

Rasen: D. Papworth 13, W. Bradford 9, I. Williams 6, M. Rutherford 47, C. Higgins 5, J. Stephenson 9, L. Chambers 11, C. Scales 4, R. Penniston 10*, J. Bennett 7, A. Quinlan 1*, Extras 14. Total: 135-9.