READERS LINCOLNSHIRE ECB PREMIER CRICKET LEAGUE APRIL 26, 2014 ROUND-UP BY ANN BOULTON

Four games survived what had threatened to be a washed-out Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League programme with Bracebridge Heath finishing the weekend top of the table as the only team with maximum points from their first two games.

Spalding emerged as the league’s dark horses with victory over Lindum which gave them 35 points from their two games, just one behind champions Sleaford.

Despite the weather, the day produced two centuries, Tim McIntosh top scoring with 133 in Sleaford’s winning draw with Billingborough and Jamie Morgan hitting 121 to take Market Deeping to victory at Skegness.

At Spalding, Warren Nel added an unbeaten 62 runs to last weekend’s century while Thivanka Rajaratne hit 60.  The Sri Lankan, now a UK resident, had earlier taken three wickets to help bowl Lindum out for 142 in the 50^th over of their innings, Charlie Kearns claimed early Lindum wickets to leave the visitors seven for three.

Luke Robinson came out to hit 28 but it was Tom Lindsay and Richard Bishop who added respectability to the score, taking Lindum from 62 for seven to 134 before Bishop became Kearns fourth victim for 34.

Lindsay went on to make 46 and was last man out with four balls of the innings remaining before taking the catch off Jon Miller’s bowling that dismissed Rajaratne whose 60 came off 56 balls.  But this was Lindum’s sole success as Nel and Josh Newton saw Spalding to victory.

Grimsby’s youthful team were up against the experience of a strong Bracebridge Heath line-up but nevertheless managed to bat out their overs – reduced to 42 after a late start.

Stalwart Lee Charlton top scored with 30 and Maninder Singh hit 23 before the final wicket fell on the last ball with the total on 126, Matt Bradley claiming four wickets.

Nick John and Vikram Atri opened for Bracebridge and despite the efforts of the Grimsby bowlers took the visitors to victory, Atri with 72 off 70 balls and John 44.

Skegness denied Market Deeping full points by hanging on to their last wicket, making 166 for nine in an innings reduced to 40 overs, skipper Norman Brackley hitting 61 and Paul Butler 44.

But the seasiders found themselves up against an in-form Jamie Morgan whose 121 saw Deeping to an eight wicket win.

At Sleaford, Billingborough won the toss and elected to bowl only to find that, after his low score the previous week, Tim McIntosh had regained his form.  The New Zealander batted through to make 133 and was ably supported by up-and-coming junior Louis Kimber with 56.

Sleaford finished on 259 for four but couldn’t seal victory as a determined Billingborough hung on to make 185 for nine, Jonathan Miles hitting 53.

The games at Bourne and Market Rasen were called off because of waterlogged grounds.

Results

Lindum 142, Spalding 148-1 (Rajaratne 60, Nel 62no);

Grimsby 126, Bracebridge Heath 127-0 (Atri 72);

Skegness 166-9 (Brackley 61), Market Deeping 167-2 (Morgan 121);

Sleaford 259-4 (McIntosh 133no, Kimber 56), Billingborough 185-9 (Miles 53);

P W L Draw NR Bat Bowl Win Total Bracebridge Heath 2 2 0 0 0 10 10 20 40 Sleaford 2 1 0 1 0 8 9 10 36 Spalding 2 1 0 1 0 10 8 10 35 Market Deeping 2 1 0 1 0 7 7 10 27 Bourne 2 1 0 0 1 5 5 10 25 Woodhall Spa 2 1 0 0 1 5 5 10 25 Louth 2 0 0 1 1 5 4 0 23 Billingborough 2 0 1 1 0 5 4 0 10 Grimsby 2 0 1 1 0 3 5 0 9 Lindum 2 0 2 0 0 4 5 0 9 Skegness 2 0 2 0 0 3 4 0 7 Market Rasen 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 5