LINCS ECB: Round-up

In a weekend that brought three centuries and some unexpected results, Grantham lost their unbeaten record at the top of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League to an in-form Lindum, a win that moved the Lincoln side up from seventh to fourth in the table.

It was also a good day for league newcomers Nettleham and Boston, the former recording their second win of the season at Bracebridge Heath and the Mayflower side coming out on the right side of a high scoring draw at home to Grimsby.

Grantham now share top place with Market Deeping who earned a winning draw against Woodhall Spa while Sleaford are just three points behind the leaders following their winning draw at Bourne.

But the most exciting game was further down the table, with just three runs separating Boston and Grimsby at the close.

Having elected to bat, Boston found themselves 77 for five, Jonny Cheer the only survivor from their top order.

And it was Cheer, ably supported by the lower order, who saved the day, hitting 124 off 114 balls with 16 fours and three sixes.

This set Grimsby a challenging target as the Boston innings finished 232 for eight and the visitors responded well, Jack Wilson and Neil Snell opening with a stand of 42.

Steve Crossley then joined Snell and this partnership put on 122 before Crossley was bowled for 57.

When Snell was bowled for 109, Grimsby need 36 runs to win but the Boston bowlers stuck to their task, taking two more wickets and at the close, despite Lee Charlton’s unbeaten 30, Grimsby were three short of the Boston total with seven wickets down.

The day’s other century came at Bourne where Obus Pienaar hit 101 off 94 balls to set Sleaford on course for the highest total of the day.

Matt Mountain (77) and Pienaar put on 95 for the second wicket as the visitors finished on 258 for eight, Tom Dixon taking four wickets.

Bourne lost their first two wickets for 34 runs but Ben Stroud (45) and Pete Morgan (44) took the total to 100 before Angus Youles joined the attack to take two wickets and make it 121 for five.

Youles went on to take four wickets as the Bourne run rate slowed and at the close the home side had to settle for a losing draw on 197 for nine, Carl Wilson hitting 50.

Lindum’s bowlers had a good day, restricting Grantham to 130 for nine and the visitors made short work of the total, Charlie Tomlinson making 74 as Lindum reached their target for the loss of two wickets.

At Outgang Road, Connor Parsons took six wickets for Woodhall Spa as Market Deeping’s innings ended on 193 for nine, a total Woodhall were unable to match, despite a half century from Prasanna Jayawardene as they closed on 165 for eight.

Vikram Atri made 61 and Matt Carter 77, the pair sharing a stand of 141 for the fifth wicket in Bracebridge Heath’s 198 for eight, a total Nettleham overtook for the loss of six wickets, Rhett Bridgens - who had earlier taken five wickets - making an unbeaten 56.

Louth’s woes continued as the bottom side failed to challenge the Skegness total of 232.

Pradeep Chanditha made 67 and Richie Hewitt and Umar Farooq then shared a ninth wicket stand for 75, Farooq making 52 before being last man out, caught off Nic Keast who took five wickets for the home side.

Ray Jordan then reduced Louth to 13 for two, but from 65 for four, the batsmen dug in and after the fifth wicket fell on 121, Keast joined Graham West - who had made four dismissals behind the stumps - to see Louth to a final total of 187 for five and a share of the points.

Results: Boston 232-8 (Cheer 124), Grimsby Town 229-7 (Snell 109, Crossley 57); Sleaford 258-8 (Pienaar 101, Mountain 77); Bourne 197-9 (Wilson 50); Grantham 130-9, Lindum 131-2 (Tomlinson 74); Skegness 232 (Chanditha 67, Farooq 52no), Louth 187-5; Market Deeping 193-9 (Parsons 6-81), Woodhall Spa 165-8 (Jayawardene 56); Bracebridge Heath 198-8 (Atri 61, M Carter 77, Bridgens 5-50), Nettleham 199-6 (Bridgens 56no).