JULY 12 READERS LINCOLNSHIRE ECB PREMIER CRICKET LEAGUE ROUND-UP BY ANN BOULTON

A century for Lindum’s Will Wright and tense games at Bracebridge Heath and Billingborough were the highlights of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League weekend.

At Cross O’Cliff Court, Bracebridge took the risk of declaring after skipper Nick John’s 75, 70 from Vikram Atri and a blast of 64 from 38 balls from Brett Houston took the total to 254 for four in 45 overs.

This gifted Grimsby five overs – and two thirds of the way through their innings John was wondering if this was the right decision as the visitors made a huge effort to chase down the total.

Joe Farmery and Maninder Singh anchored their team’s efforts with an opening stand of 101, Farmery making 76 off 61 balls.  Singh and Cerri James (23) then took the total to 161 for two, putting Grimsby in with an excellent chance of victory.

But when both fell on this score, Singh for 48, the challenge subsided and the last wicket fell on 212, Matt Carter and Matthew Knights each taking four wickets.

At Billingborough, the home side were bowled out for 155, but Sleaford were then made to fight for every run before finally scraping home by just one wicket.

At the top of the table, Bourne marched on, picking up another 18 points at Jubilee Park where Woodhall finished on 203 for nine, Jonny Cheer hitting 50 and Tom Dixon taking five wickets.  Ben Stroud then made 75 for the visitors in their six wicket win.

Market Deeping’s title hope suffered a setback at the hands of a resurgent Skegness who, after hovering around the relegation zone early in the season, are now eighth in the table and only 14 points off a top six place.

Sean Chamberlain made an unbeaten 86, Scott Tallott 80 and Paul Butler 56 as the seasiders recorded the day’s highest total of 295 for six before bowling Deeping out for 125.

Market Rasen put in a good bowling performance at Louth to restrict their hosts to 189 all out, James Fussey taking five wickets while Amila Wethasinghe hit 88 for Louth.  But Andy Carrington was also on good form and his five wickets helped bowl Rasen out for 106.

The day’s only century came at Lindum where Will Wright made 108 in his side’s total of 266 for six and Karanjit Bansal made a welcome return to the side with 96.  Spalding reached 140 for four but then slipped to 165 all out, Bansal taking four wickets and Ryan Sneddon three.

RESULTS

Bracebridge Heath 254-4 dec (John 75, Atri 70, Houston 64), Grimsby 212 (Farmery 76);

Skegness 295-6 (S Chamberlain 86no, Tallott 80, Butler 56), Market Deeping 125;

Woodhall Spa 203-9 (Cheer 50, Dixon 5-54), Bourne 205-4 (Stroud 75);

Louth 189 (Wethasinghe 88, Fussey 5-58), Market Rasen 106 (Carrington 5-22);

Lindum 266-6 (Wright 108, Bansal 96), Spalding 165;

Billingborough 155, Sleaford 158-9.

	P	W	L	Draw	NR	Bat	Bowl	Win	Total
Bourne	13	6	0	5	2	44	41	60	190
Bracebridge Heath	13	6	3	1	3	38	44	60	164
Market Deeping	13	6	2	3	2	33	41	60	159
Louth	13	5	2	3	3	31	38	50	155
Lindum	13	4	4	3	2	34	46	40	153
Sleaford	13	4	3	4	2	38	40	40	144
Woodhall Spa	13	3	2	4	4	32	34	30	142
Skegness	13	5	4	0	4	28	32	50	130
Spalding	13	2	4	5	2	38	31	20	122
Grimsby	13	2	6	3	2	22	25	20	80
Billingborough	13	0	8	2	3	16	33	0	68
Market Rasen	13	0	5	3	5	7	21	0	60