Three wickets in final over account for Spalding Town against table-toppers

A last-over run out saw Spalding Town miss out on a losing draw against Lincs ECB Premier League leaders Bracebridge Heath on Saturday.

Chasing an improbable 276 to win at Spalding Grammar School, Town looked let for at least a share of the spoils as they 201-7 with just one over to go.

However, Charlie Kearns (23) and David Thomas (0) were both dismissed by Matt Bradley – before Ben Smith (64) was inexplicably run out with just one ball left to face.

That saw bottom-of-the-table Spalding pick up just six bonus points and they are now 18 points behind nearest rivals Grimsby Town.

Having won the toss, table-topping Bracebridge were in fine form with the bat. Top four Nick John (26), Andrew McDowall (44), Vikram Atri (52) and the impressive Kit Spence (109 not out) all fired, while there was also a solid 30 (from 20 balls) down the order from Carl Stubbs.

There was no stand-out bowling display from Town this week, with Nuwan Jayasena (2-94), Dan Milgate (2-55), Charlie Kearns (1-75) and Warren Nel (1-17) the wicket-takers.

In reply, Spalding lost their top trio relatively cheaply as Nel (11), Jayasena (14) and Chris Dring (14) all fell to leave them in a tough spot at 53-3.

Milgate (45) and Smith steadied the ship with a 55-run partnership and took Town to 108-4 before the Aussie was bowled by Bradley (4-48).

More wickets followed as Tim Norris (7), Jimmy Hook (6) and skipper Rob Ambrose (6) all went without really troubling the scorers.

Smith, meanwhile, passed his half-century in partnership with Kearns as a losing draw looked increasingly likely.

But, despite the pair smashing 13 runs of the 49th over, Bradley’s last-over heroics and the Smith’s untimely run out did for the hosts – giving Bracebridge a 20-point haul.

Results

Lincs ECB Premier League: Bourne 224 (Morgan 71), Sleaford 180 (Mountain 53, Berry 5-57); Woodhall Spa 267-7 (Bandara 75, Evison 53, Botha 54no, Rutherford 5-73), Market Rasen 131-9;
Skegness 234-9 (Adatia 5-59), Market Deeping 235-6 (Wheatley 59, Akhtar 98); Louth 231 (Wettasinghe 51, Sneddon 5-68), Lindum 226 (Tomlinson 72, Carrington 6-63); Bracebridge Heath 275-6 (Spence 109no, Atri 52), Spalding 202 (Smith 64); Grimsby 238-8 (Hawkins 71, Brown 69, Peck 5-49), Grantham 227-8 (Freeman 56, Nurse 56).

South Lincs & Border League

Premier Division: Grantham 111 (Vella 5-26), Boston 112-5; Long Sutton 111 (Garfoot 6-40), Billingborough 112-6; Moulton Harrox 154-9 (Barnett 56), Stamford Town 155-4 (Hulme 52);
Sleaford 2nd 217 (T Bentley 5-73), Bourne 2nd 165; Lindum Ramblers 214 (A Pickering 93), Spalding 2nd 118 (Kempton 5-43 inc hat trick); Belton Park 177, Woodhall Spa 2nd 179-6 (P Timby 80, Anderson 57).

Division One: Lindum 3rd 144-9, Boston 2nd 148-0 (Morley 69no, Poole 64no); Cavaliers 227-9 (Matta 64, Taylor 62), Grantham 3rd 52 (Shah 7-22); Heckington 159-8 (Glendinning 86), Market Deeping 2nd 163-3 (Hyman 53no); Skegness 2nd 176-9 (Brant 66), Freiston 88 (Elsom 5-7); Billingborough 2nd 256-2 (Stanley 119no, Wells 76), Long Sutton 2nd 206 (Wright 52, Pilgrim 7-64).

Division Two: Graves Park 54, Burgh & District 55-4; Grantham 4th 110, Spalding 3rd 111-9 (Hilldrith 5-37); Timberland 277-9 (Lowth 83, Hargrave 58, Eyett 5-67), Pinchbeck 161-7 (Jackson 51);
Belton Park 2nd 199-7 (Clarke 52), Baston 179; Claypole 87 (Fox 5-33), Boston 3rd 88-6.