SOUTH LINCS & BORDER CRICKET LEAGUE UPDATE BY ANN BOULTON

Stamford Town got their South Lincolnshire & Border League season off to a good start with a nine wicket win over Sleaford 2^nd that gained them 19 points while Boston won their second game in a row to go top of the table with 38 points after rivals Bourne 2^nd and Grantham were rained off.

Tom Baxter hit an unbeaten 127 of Boston’s 246 for six, but it was Paul Roberts who was the main architect of the victory over Moulton Harrox, hitting 61 runs and taking six wickets as Moulton were bowled out for 95.

Sleaford made 155 for nine against Stamford but an unbeaten 53 from David Piggott saw his side home.

These were the only two games played in the top flight but in Division One four of the five were completed with only Grantham 2^nd v Baston rained off.

Market Deeping 2^nd top the table with maximum points from their two games while Billingborough 2^nd, Boston 2^nd and Long Sutton 2^nd have each taken the maximum 20 from their first match.

After Heckington’s huge score of the previous week, the village side were brought back down to earth with a meagre total of 50 all out, a total Market Deeping reached for the loss of three wickets.

Boston enjoyed a similar win over Woodlands who were bowled out for 67, Boston claiming a five wicket victory.  And in another low scoring game, Billingborough beat Cavaliers, who were all out for 80, by nine wickets, Chris King with 60 for Billingborough.

Mitch Griffiths made 66 for Friskney who had 147 on the board when the final wicket fell and Spalding 2^nd were made to fight hard for their win, losing seven wickets before an unbeaten 57 from Ansar Hussain saw them home.

Both Saturday games in Division two were rained off but on Sunday Lindum 3^rd, Claypole and Freiston got their campaigns off to a good start, Lindum beating Pinchbeck by five wickets,  Luke Endley making 79 runs and taking eight wickets in Claypole’s win over Boston 3^rd and Freiston overtaking Moulton Harrox 2^nd total of 140 for the loss of four wickets.

Premier Division

Boston 246-6 (Roberts 61, Tom Baxter 127no); Moulton Harrox 95 (Roberts 6-10);

Sleaford 2^nd 155-9, Stamford 161-1 (Piggott 53no);

Long Sutton v Grantham – rained off, no play

Welby v Skegness 2^nd – rained off, no play

Woodhall Spa 2^nd v Bourne 2nd – rained off, no play

Lindum Ramblers v Belton Park – rained off, no play

Division One

Heckington 50, Market Deeping 2nd 53-3;

Woodlands 67, Boston 2^nd 68-5;

Cavaliers 80, Billingborough 2^nd 81-1 (King 60no);

Friskney 147 (Griffiths 66), Spalding 2^nd 149-7 (Hussain 57no);

Grantham 2^nd v Baston – rained off, no play

Division Two

Belton Park 2^nd v Burgh & District – rained off, no play

Grantham 3^rd v Timberland – rained off, no play

Pinchbeck 60, Lindum 3^rd 61-5;

Claypole 268-6 (Dobbie 78no, Endley 79), Boston 3^rd 73 (Endley 8-28);

Moulton Harrox 140 (Jake Morton 57no); Freiston 142-4 (I Ilyas 65)