Sleaford CC First XI shade Grimsby

Tom Shorthouse made 82 and took three Grimsby wickets EMN-180705-112541002

The First XI, sponsored by Baker Plant Hire, elected to bat on another hot and sunny day and opened with Ross Diver and captain Tom Shorthouse.

Both began confidently until Diver was bowled by Hayden Tice for 12 with the score on 22, and with Andy Hibberd, Charlie Roberts and Drew Harbron all falling for one, Sleaford were wobbling on 52-4 with only Shorthouse looking confident.

Olly Burford joined his captain and looked in good form until he played on to Cameron Maxwell for 16 (84-5), and Ian McPeake also supported Shorthouse well until he chipped a catch to Middleton, off Harrison Tice, for 15.

Angus Youles followed up his three-wicket haul with 30 valuable runs in the chase

Shorthouse moved past 50, but Sreedharan went to Warwick without scoring, leaving Sleaford on 151-7.

But new batsman Angus Youles and Shorthouse began to dominate the attack and moved the score to 187 when Shorthouse went for an excellent 82, caught by Snell off Tice.

Youles played with confidence and fluency, and after Conor Harbron went, Cameron Hall offered good support to Youles who was the last to go for a fine 37. Sleaford posted a competitive 218 all out, but again conceded overs to the visiting team for whom Hayden Tice took 4 for 27 and Harrison Tice 3 for 41.

In reply, Grimsby lost Hayden Tice for 0 to Youles, but his replacement Harry Warwick and remaining opener Neal Snell set about dominating the home attack.

They scored freely and played with confidence all around the ground, taking the score to 91 when Snell was caught by Hall, off Shorthouse for a productive 38.

Matthew Cliffe (9) and Steven Crossley (13) fell cheaply to Shorthouse (3 for 35) and Adi Sreedharan respectively, as Grimsby slipped to 127-4.

Warwick continued to dominate, but with the score on 146 he was caught behind by Burford off Sreedharan (3 for 35) for an excellent 70.

Geoff Middleton moved Grimsby forward with a useful 22 before being bowled by Youles with the score on 193.

When Andrew Pearson (21) was bowled by Youles, Grimsby teetered on 198-9, still 20 short before the excellent Youles (4 for 36) claimed the final wicket of Tice (4) to give Sleaford a nailbiting 14-run win in the 52nd over.

The Sleaford spin attack brought the team home with Youles, Sreedharan, and Shorthouse taking all of the wickets between them.

Sleaford CC would like to thank umpires Martin Williment and Della Rebours, and scorers David Evans and Sue Shorthouse.

On Saturday, Sleaford travel to Scunthorpe for a noon start.