WINKWORTH CUP FIRST ROUND

By Ann Boulton

Attempts to play the first round matches of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League’s Winkworth Cup were met with mixed fortunes.
At Louth, which was due to host Boston and Grimsby Town, no play was possible on a pitch still waterlogged from last week’s rain and the winner was decided on a bowl-out that saw Louth go through to the semi-finals.
At Skegness, the rain held off until half way through the second innings of the second game.  Here, a reduction to 15 overs a side was agreed by the Skegness, Market Deeping and Bourne captains. The first match saw Bourne notch up an unassailable 148 for seven to which Deeping replied with 116 for six.
Skegness then played Deeping, batting first and making 136 for seven.  However, with 14 overs of the second innings completed, rain forced the players off the field and the seasiders won the tie with a faster run rate over the first four overs.
With no further play possible, Bourne and Skegness selected five players for a bowl out which Bourne won to join Louth in the semi-finals.
At Lindum, the sides played to a finish with a much reduced final game played in the rain.  Lindum were first up and beat Woodhall who then went down to Sleaford off the final ball of their tie.
Lindum and Sleaford agreed to play eight overs a side and Sleaford won in the last over the match.
At the fourth venue, a change to the order of play saw Bracebridge Heath win through, first by defeating hosts Hartsholme.  Rather than Hartsholme staying on to play Haxey, captains and umpires agreed that, to beat the weather, Bracebridge would next play Haxey and the league champions also won this game before the weather set in, making the third game unnecessary.
Louth, Bourne, Sleaford and Bracebridge Heath will gather at Sleaford CC on June 4 for the semi-finals and final, beginning at 10.30am.