HOUSTON...WE HAVE A PROBLEM

By Ann Boulton

Bourne took over at the top of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League as Louth inflicted a surprise defeat on last week’s leaders Skegness.
Fahad Masood scored his second century in successive weeks to help Bourne to 278 for eight at Market Deeping who were then bowled out for 178.
Meanwhile Skegness were set a modest total of 162 after Saeed Bariwala had claimed five Louth wickets. But Seth Rance and Stewart West exploited a turning Richmond Road pitch with Rance, who had earlier top scored with 38, taking four for 26 and West finishing with three wickets to help bowl the home side out for 102.
Nettleham took advantage of the seasiders’ defeat to move up to second with 17-year-old Tom Dalton seeing his side to a three wicket victory with an unbeaten 77 at Augusta Street after Grimsby were bowled out for 161.
Louth’s win moved them up another place above Market Deeping while Woodhall Spa stayed tenth following their win at Hartsholme but have opened up a gap over the bottom two.
Ben Davis hit 93 for Hartsholme whose 50 overs ended on 194 for nine, Fawad Alam taking six wickets and 16-year-old wicketkeeper Jack Hughes bagging five dismissals for the visitors. Alam then hit 71 as Woodhall went on to win by four wickets.
At Cross O’Cliff Court, in an almost carbon copy of their early season game, Bracebridge Heath were bowled out by Boston for 168, Colin Cheer taking five wickets, only for the visitors to go down by 30 runs as Brett Houston claimed seven victims.
Lindum and Sleaford remain locked together in mid-table after their game at London Road which saw Sleaford go above their opponents after bowling them out for 169. Jonathan Miles took five of the Lindum wickets and Dammika Gunawardena and Matthew Mountain both made half centuries in the home side’s five-wicket victory.

RESULTS
Lindum 169 (Miles 5-71), Sleaford 171-5 (Gunawardena 53, Mountain 56no);
Bourne 278-8 (Masood 110no, Spinks 50), Market Deeping 178;
Louth 162 (Bariwala 5-69), Skegness 102;
Grimsby 161, Nettleham 162-7 (Dalton 77no);
Hartsholme 194-9 (Davis 93, Alam 6-49), Woodhall Spa 195-6 (Alam 71);
Bracebridge Heath 168 (Cheer 5-60), Boston 138 (Houston 7-77).


HOW THEY STAND
Team P W L D/T NR Bat Bowl Win Draw Tot Percent
Bourne 13 7 3 1 2 45 47 70 9 171 78%
Nettleham 13 6 2 3 2 46 40 60 19 165 75%
Skegness 13 8 3 0 2 37 45 80 0 162 74%
Bracebridge Heath 13 7 4 0 2 38 46 70 0 154 70%
Grimsby 13 3 3 6 1 44 45 30 34 153 64%
Sleaford 13 5 5 1 2 34 41 50 1 126 57%
Lindum 13 5 6 1 1 38 40 50 5 133 55%
Louth 13 4 5 2 2 31 37 40 10 118 54%
Market Deeping 13 4 5 2 2 33 31 40 12 116 53%
Woodhall Spa 13 3 5 3 2 37 28 30 13 108 49%
Boston 13 3 8 0 2 25 36 30 0 91 41%
Hartsholme 13 1 7 3 2 30 38 10 7 85 39%