Sleaford seconds fall short in run chase against Grantham
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Grantham arrived, batted first, and built themselves a winning position by the old, reliable method of occupation.
There was little extravagance in Grantham’s 227 all out, but much that was sound.
Ram Pandey played with brightness for his 78, finding the boundary nine times and clearing it twice, while Stewart Mudie, patient and persistent, made 95 from 131 balls and gave the innings its long spine.
Sleaford, to their credit, did not allow the matter to run away from them. George Bulmer took 3-45, Kieran Harbron 2-41, and the last 10 overs belonged as much to Sleaford’s resolve as to Grantham’s earlier certainty.
The reply, for a time, had the look of an innings searching for a foothold.
At 60-4 Sleaford were in trouble, but Mackenzie Ross and Harvey Barton met the situation with calm hands.
Ross made 41, Barton 45, and together they put on 65 for the fifth wicket.
Yet the hill remained steep; Sleaford reached 202-9, brave but short by 25 runs.
On Sunday came the weekend’s clearest joy.
Sleaford’s Sunday first XI, asked to answer North Scarle’s 128, did so with the unhurried assurance of a side that had first won the game with the ball.
North Scarle chose to bat, but the innings never quite escaped Sleaford’s grip.
Ben Lambert bowled with admirable purpose for 4-26, Mackenzie Ross was sharp and economical in taking 2-16, and Andy Hibberd added 2-26.
Ben Jones, Will Hillman and Jacob Caveney resisted, but their 33, 30 and 28 were islands rather than a continent.
Then Ross, already a force in the field, became master of the chase.
His unbeaten 65, with eight fours and a six, carried Sleaford home with grace and certainty. Lambert’s 30 was the perfect companion piece, and their stand of 72 made light of any lingering anxiety.
Sleaford were 129-3 in the 27th over, winners by seven wickets.
Away at Owmby Trojans, Sleaford Sunday seconds found themselves in a more awkward tale: one begun badly, repaired with character, and then lost in the final act.
Having chosen to bat, Sleaford slipped grievously to 8-3, before Ben Baxter and Ben Bulmer gave the innings breath again.
Baxter’s 22 was valuable; Bulmer’s 59, made from 64 balls with 11 fours, was the innings itself, a captain’s hand of substance amid uncertainty.
Sleaford were eventually all out for 145, Harry Brindle taking 3-9.
With the ball, Sleaford made a fight of it.
Caleb Hutton’s 4-24 gave the pursuit a tremor, and when Owmby stood at 67-6 there was hope enough to warm the afternoon.
But Brindle, already influential with the ball, remained unbeaten on 56 and guided the home side to 146-6.
The Women’s first XI, at Belvoir, produced runs enough for a contest and courage enough for a sterner reward, but the home side’s chase proved too sure.
Sleaford made 207-9; Belvoir replied with 208-4 and won by six wickets.
Sleaford’s innings rested handsomely upon Libby Naylor’s 73, full of timing and nine boundaries, and upon Alexia Page-Graves’ carefully made 39.
Evie Jarvis, captaining from the top of the order, added 34, and the total had weight and promise.
Belvoir, though, had their own pillars.
Emelia Sergeant made 75 and Gabby Griffiths finished unbeaten on 74, an alliance of scoring and steadiness that gradually took the match beyond Sleaford’s reach.
Millie Townend, Leah Wilkinson and Liv Cepelak each claimed a wicket, but Belvoir arrived at their target with six wickets still standing.