Town denied a share of the spoils in final over

Spalding Town suffered an agonising defeat in the Lincs ECB Premier League on Saturday as Bracebridge Heath denied them a slice of the spoils in the final over of the match.

On a wet day across the county, conditions favoured the bowlers at Spalding Grammar School. Bracebridge Heath won with just four balls to spare, having made the top score of the day with 192-9 at Spalding Grammar School.

Charlie Kearns (2-27) did get rid of their opening duo to leave the visitors toiling on 14-2, but 36 from Brett Houston and a 76-run partnership between Hymie Bentley (46) and Stuart Fraser-Cattanach (28) saw title hopefuls Heath set a tough target.

Thivanka Rajaratne (3-26), Jack Barratt (2-41) and Nuwan Jayasena (1-68) were the other Town wicket takers.

In reply, Spalding slumped to 40-3 after losing Warren Nel (4), Thivanka Rajaratne (24) and Nuwan Jayasena (0). Chris Dring (24) joined Josh Newton to add 43 before Newton and Kearns (19) added 35 for the sixth wicket.

But when Newton became Matt Bradley’s third victim, stumped on 44 with the score on 137-8,  Town were forced to try and hang on for a losing draw.

Luke Whitworth (10no) and skipper Rob Ambrose (4) did their best to hang on, but Matthew Bradley (5-24) cleaned up the tail with just four balls to spare – Tom Dale (0) the last man out with the score on 149.

RESULTS

Lincs ECB Premier League: Bracebridge Heath 192-9, Spalding 149 (Bradley 5-24); Bourne 131, Lindum 66 (Cheer 5-16); Grimsby 145-9, Market Rasen 132 (Carr 7-29); Woodhall Spa 172-5, Billingborough 70; Louth 101 (Farooq 5-24), Skegness 102-3; Sleaford 187-5 (Burford 60no), Market Deeping 188-2 (Jones 59, Morgan 86).

South Lincs & Border League: Premier Division: Stamford 112, Boston 113-5 (Cunningham 5-51); Skegness 2^nd 68, Grantham 69-5; Bourne 2^nd 193-7 (Dunn 58, A Stroud 51);  Lindum Ramblers 161; Woodhall Spa 225-5 (J Timby 64, McCarrick 52), Long Sutton 196 (Edgeller 107, Holmes 6-45); Welby 188 (Meadows 61), Sleaford 2^nd 116; Moulton Harrox 179-8 (M Barnett 74), Belton Park 101 (J Barnett 5-27);

Division One: Grantham 2^nd 202-7, Heckington 39; Cavaliers 120 (Kennedy 59), Spalding 2^nd 121-5 (Hussain 72); Long Sutton 2^nd 72, Billingborough 2^nd 73-5; Woodlands 52-1 v Friskney – abandoned after 18 overs.

Division Two: Claypole 58 (Dewhurst 7-20), Lindum 3^rd 61-1; Grantham 3^rd 46 (Qadir 6-13), Freiston 47-2; Boston 3^rd 137, Spalding 3^rd 122 (Appleyard 5-26); Pinchbeck 164-7, Timberland 153.