READERS LINCOLNSHIRE ECB PREMIER - AUG 31

BY ANN BOULTON

Top and bottom positions in the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League could go right to the wire after bottom side Hartsholme held leaders Woodhall Spa to a draw at Jubilee Park.

Jonny Cheer hit 167 as Woodhall reached 301 for three before declaring, Sam Evison contributing 57 and Prasanna Jayawardene making an unbeaten 61.

But Hartsholme also took advantage of the good batting track to finish on 233 for seven and gain a valuable nine points.  Matthew Wooldridge hit 92 for the visitors with Kit Spence making 60 while Matt Sergeant claimed five wickets for Woodhall.

Bracebridge Heath and Sleaford both picked up the maximum 20 in their victories over Louth and Haxey respectively, cutting Woodhall’s lead over Bracebridge to seven points, with Sleaford one point behind.

Paul Cook (59) and Nick John (48) put on 119 for Bracebridge’s first wicket and the second placed team finished on 251 for seven before bowling Louth out for 93.  And Sleaford bowled Haxey out for 108, going on to win by five wickets.

This gave Haxey only two points, allowing Hartsholme to move within nine of their relegation rivals. 

Pierce Morley-Barnes was the day’s other century maker, his 117 helping Lindum to 270 for seven and a winning draw over Market Deeping who finished on 192 for nine, Jonny Miller taking five wickets.

The Lincoln side stay fourth and are still in with a mathematical chance of honours, trailing Sleaford by 13 points and the leaders by 21.

Skegness, Grimsby, Bourne and Louth are bunched up behind fifth placed Deeping. 

Steve Crossley kept up his good batting performances with 76 for Grimsby who came out on the right side of a draw at home to Spalding while Bourne scored a convincing 92 run victory over Skegness, Carl Wilson hitting 61 and Darren Cousins taking five wickets.

Grimsby made the second highest total of the day with 274 for five but 69 from Josh Newton and Charlie Kearns’ unbeaten 55 saw Spalding to 219 for six at the close.

Results

Bourne 181 (Wilson 61), Skegness 89 (Cousins 5-29);

Bracebridge Heath 251-7 (Cook 59), Louth 93;

Lindum 270-7 (Morley-Barnes 117, Robinson 58), Market Deeping 192-9 (Miller 5-42);

Haxey 108, Sleaford 109-5;

Woodhall Spa 301-3 dec (Cheer 167, Evison 57, Jayawardene 61no), Hartsholme 233-7 (Wooldridge 92, Spence 60, Sergeant 5-71);

Grimsby 274-5 (Crossley 76), Spalding 219-6 (Newton 69, C Kearns 55no).

	P	W	L	Draw	NR	Bat	Bowl	Win	Total
Woodhall Spa	20	13	3	3	1	75	74	130	297
Bracebridge Heath	20	10	4	4	2	78	70	100	290
Sleaford	20	12	4	3	1	78	65	120	289
Lindum	20	10	5	5	0	69	72	100	276
Market Deeping	20	10	7	2	1	65	64	100	238
Skegness	20	8	9	1	2	62	58	80	213
Grimsby	20	6	7	4	3	67	55	60	211
Bourne	20	4	6	7	3	54	55	40	205
Louth	20	4	9	5	2	53	55	40	191
Spalding	20	3	7	7	3	53	50	30	167
Haxey	20	3	12	3	2	29	47	30	127
Hartsholme	20	3	13	2	2	34	40	30	118