FELLY COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT

By Ann Boulton

Lindum extended their lead at the top of Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League by one point with a six wicket win at Skegness while Bracebridge Heath moved up to second after Grimsby were left ruing a dropped catch that helped their visitors to victory.
But the most exciting game of the day came at Sleaford who invited Louth to bat and bowled their opponents out for 221 with two balls of the innings to spare. Nuwan Shiroman was again among the runs for Louth with 79 and then took an early wicket before Shaun Morris dug in with support from the middle order as the score crept steadily towards the target.
Going into the 47th over, one run was needed for victory but it was not to be as the last wicket fell on 220 leaving the home side still without a win and pushing Louth up to fourth place.
Lindum bowlers Matthew Bursa and Jake Benson claimed seven wickets between them as Skegness were bowled out for 141, a total Lindum overtook for the loss of six wickets to give them 20 points.
A much higher scoring game at Grimsby, in which Jim Morgan and Brett Houston both hit centuries, saw the home side set a total of 222, Morgan with 113 and Mark Fell coming out of retirement to take five for 41.
Houston was then dropped on 10 and went on to make an unbeaten 125 that took Bracebridge to a three wicket victory with just one ball of the game remaining.
This pushed Bracebridge up a place, one point ahead of Market Deeping who hit the highest total of the day after successfully chasing Woodhall Spa’s 262 for eight at Jubilee Park. Nic Stone hit an unbeaten 82 for Woodhall while Karl Green, making his 1st XI debut for Deeping, took four wickets including a hat trick.
In reply, Chris Jones made 109 and Jamie Morgan 78 as Deeping claimed a six wicket victory with three overs to spare.
The fourth century of the day came at Bourne where Ben Stroud’s maiden ECB Premier League century helped his side to 226 for eight against Nettleham who were then bowled out for 88, Fahad Masood taking seven for 23.
The absence of injured skipper Nathan Poundall and the first-ball-of-the innings dismissal of Warren Nel contributed to Hartsholme’s low score of 134 at Boston. Nel was out lbw to Scott Elleray who went on to take four wickets and Matt Ward then hit an unbeaten 77 in the home side’s five wicket win, putting Boston on equal points with Bourne in fifth place.