TESTING TIME FOR BRACEBRIDGE

By Ann Boulton

Woodhall Spa unleashed the secret weapon they hope will stave off relegation from the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League – and Pakistani Test and ODI player Fawad Alam didn’t disappoint, taking five wickets and hitting 140 runs to help defeat Bracebridge Heath.
Batting first, the current champions set a challenging total of 239 for eight, Paul Cook making 81 and Alam finishing with five for 49 before blasting his 140 off 112 balls with 11 fours and 10 sixes, ably assisted by Sam Evison with 39 and Ben Percival with an unbeaten 46 off 42 balls which took the home side to a seven wicket win.
Alam’s fellow countryman, Fahad Masood, had an equally good day for Bourne to keep them in second place. Masood hit 105 of the home side’s 257 for nine with Ben Stroud scoring 34 and Charlie Hopkins 33 in two productive wicket partnerships with their overseas player who then took five for 43 as visitors Grimsby were restricted to 176 for nine.
This keeps Grimsby in fifth place while Skegness ensured they stayed top with a 20-point win over Boston who were left chasing 246 for six, but fell to 140 all out, Steve Kirkham claiming six of the wickets.
Nettleham moved up to third above Bracebridge Heath after a low scoring game against Sleaford at Mulsanne Park. The home side made 179 for nine while Sleaford could manage only 129 for nine, Andy Carter taking six wickets for Nettleham.
Lindum climbed to sixth and at the same time consigned Hartsholme to bottom place behind Boston. Put into bat at St Giles Avenue, the home side had reached 182 for nine, Karanjit Bansal with 41 and Luke Robinson making 61.
Then Oliver Guilliatt joined Dale Christie at the crease for a partnership that set the game alight, Christie hitting 40 off 21 balls with two sixes and four four as the pair added 44 for the final wicket before Christie was bowled by Martin Shillito to give him his fifth wicket.
Matt Rutherford and Bansal then took full advantage of a spinners’ wicket to take six for 31 and four for 42 respectively and bowl the visitors out for 87.
Louth finally found some batting form and eased their relegation worries as they reached 271 for five at home to Market Deeping, Graham West with 60 and Joe Irving 53, both unbeaten. Deeping were then bowled out for 159.

RESULTS
Bracebridge Heath 239-8 (Cook 81, Alam 5-49), Woodhall Spa 240-3 (Alam 140);
Lindum 226 (Robinson 61, Shillito 5-76), Hartsholme 85 (Rutherford 6-31);
Bourne 257-9 (Masood 105), Grimsby 176-9 (Perera 60, Masood 5-43);
Louth 271-5 (G West 60no, J Irving 53no), Market Deeping 159;
Skegness 246-6 (Epton 52no), Boston 140 (Kirkham 6-55);
Nettleham 179-9, Sleaford 129-9 (Carter 6-54).

HOW THEY STAND

P W L D/T NR Bat Bowl Win Draw Total Percent
Skegness 12 8 2 0 2 37 40 80 0 157 79%
Bourne 12 6 3 1 2 40 42 60 9 151 76%
Nettleham 12 5 2 3 2 41 35 50 19 145 73%
Bracebridge Heath 12 6 4 0 2 36 41 60 0 137 69%
Grimsby 12 3 2 6 1 42 42 30 34 148 67%
Lindum 12 5 5 1 1 36 38 50 5 129 59%
Market Deeping 12 4 4 2 2 30 28 40 12 110 55%
Sleaford 12 4 5 1 2 29 36 40 1 106 53%
Louth 12 3 5 2 2 29 32 30 10 101 51%
Woodhall Spa 12 2 5 3 2 34 24 20 13 91 46%

Boston 12 3 7 0 2 24 31 30 0 85 43%
Hartsholme 12 1 6 3 2 27 36 10 7 80 40%