Runs drought as Sleaford suffer weekend to forget

Such a one befell Sleaford, with three of the club’s four senior sides dismissed for fewer than 100.

The exception was the Sunday first XI, whose six-wicket defeat of Lindum offered a welcome, if isolated, note of competence.

At London Road on Saturday, Bourne put the first XI in and dismissed them for 92 in 29.3 overs. Matthew Mills, Tom Sanders, Drew Harbron and Oscar Lond each made 18, but none converted a start into an innings of substance.

Partnerships were hinted at rather than built, and the batting had the look of a side whose concentration was running thin.

Jack Berry led the collapse with 5-25, while Ruben Baker took 3-19.

Bourne’s reply was emphatic. Sam Evison made 40 not out and Dan Freeman an unbeaten 23 as 94-2 was reached in only 11.5 overs, completing an eight-wicket victory with much of the afternoon unused.

There was little more cheer for the seconds at Abbey Lawn.

Put in by Bourne, they were all out for 54 in 19.4 overs.

Mackenzie Ross’s 17 was the only score above 10, while 13 extras supplied the next largest contribution.

Tom Patchett took 6-19 from 10 overs, five of them maidens, with Harry Tickler and Ben Stroud sharing the other four wickets.

To their credit, Sleaford’s bowlers made Bourne work for the small target and George Bulmer took 2-5, while Ben Lambert, Ross and Micah Young claimed one apiece.

Bourne lost six wickets before Grant Van Rensburg and Jon Howard took them to 55 in 19.4 overs and a four-wicket victory.

Relief came from the Sunday first XI.

Lindum were dismissed for 129, Ross taking four for 20 and Harbron three for 10, before Sleaford pursued the target with purpose.

Sanders made 59 and Sneath 42 as victory was secured for the loss of four wickets in 19.3 overs.

It was cricket of a firmer kind than Sleaford managed elsewhere over the weekend.

The improvement did not extend to Heckington, where the Sunday second XI chose to bat and were dismissed for 49 in 21.4 overs.

Sam Lambert’s 20 was the only score in double figures.

Charlie Baxter took 5-4 and Chris Morley 3-1, after which Heckington needed only 5.3 overs to reach 50 for one.

Connor Jenkinson finished unbeaten on 28 and Samuel Elliott on 15, completing a nine-wicket win.

Across the three defeats, Sleaford made only 195 runs.

Twice their opponents completed the chase before the 12th over.

Sanders and Sneath’s stroke-play against Lindum shone all the more brightly against that background.

Elsewhere there were tired strokes, faltering resolve and the unmistakable September sense of a season running down.

Two weekends remain in a campaign that has too seldom risen above the ordinary.

The first XI will finish third, an improvement on 2025 but still a position that invites thoughts of what might have been.

The second XI face a more serious reckoning.

Saturday’s defeat left them bottom of Championship South, and they must take three more points than Bourne from the final two matches to survive.

The Sunday second XI can at least regard their campaign as creditable - fifth place, five wins from 13 completed matches and Division Two status secured with reasonable comfort.

The Sunday first XI have two fixtures remaining, although assembling 22 players is now a challenge in itself.

That every match has been fulfilled, when concession would have been easier, reflects well on players and organisers alike.

In a weekend of dwindling totals and waning energy, that resolve deserves recognition.