Barnett’s brilliant century steers Moulton Harrox’s Sunday side to dominant victory

Jack Barnett scored a stellar century on Sunday as Moulton Harrox crushed Ufford Park by 91 runs in Rutland and District League Division Four East.

The opener carried his bat as he made an unbeaten 113 from 116 balls in Moulton’s 202-3 at Broad Lane.

Lee Pierce then took 3-14 to help Moulton knock Ufford over for 111 in reply to clinch a 20-point haul.

It was the away side who won the toss and inserted Harrox into bat, something they probably regretted a few hours later.

Barnett and his captain Chris Beale (26) started brighltly, before the latter fell to Muued Maqsooud (1-23).

Travis Harrison was next to keep Barnett company and he played a fine knock, nailing six fours and a six as he reached 49 before being caught and bowled by Jan Neville (2-40).

Steve Petzing (2) also fell to Neville, but Barnett was the beating heart of the innings.

He hit 13 fours and went at a strike rate of 97.41 as he made three figures in typical style as Moulton set a tough 40-over target.

Harrox bowled nicely in reply, with four bowlers getting at least two wickets each.

Maqsooud (43) and Peter Taylor (35) impressed for Ufford, but they were two of only three players to make double figures as they crashed to 111 all out in 29 overs.

Pierce took three, while Paul Bullock (2-24), Mohammad Alam (2-23) and Thuva Murali (2-14) also starred.

The win keeps Moulton fifth ahead of Sunday’s trip to Orton Park (12.30pm).

Also in Division Four, Long Sutton 2nd (93) suffered a three wicket defeat against Peterborough Town 2nd (96-7).

Sutton won the toss and batted first at Paradise Field, but it was the city side who prevailed.

• It was a tough day at the office for Long Sutton on Sunday as they suffered a 103-run defeat at Newborough in Rutland and District Cricket League Division Two.

With hosts Newborough winning the toss and opting to bat, they were bowled out for 165 in 33 overs with Joe Mills top scoring with a half-century.

Sutton’s Sunday side would have fancied their chances of chasing that down, but Tom Shipman’s fine figures of 5-21 helped skittle them out for just 62 in 22.3 overs at St Martin’s Road.

Sutton enjoyed a great start with the ball, as Joe Whitaker (2-34) removed Shipman and Dan Plant (2-19) claimed the scalps of George Woods (3) and Harry Richardson (4) to leave the hosts shocked.

Paul Richardson (6) also went cheaply to Whitaker, but Chester Hercock (37) and Mills (55) then formed a formidable partnership to guide Newborough to a defendable total.

Joshua Groener (26) also scored nicely down the order, but Sutton did take regular wickets with Jake Burton (2-10), Callum John (2-14), Milly Hastings (1-37) and Charlie Crisp (1-49) all getting in on the act.

Sadly for Sutton’s bowlers, the batsmen couldn’t make any kind of impression in their reply.

Only Ed Barnes (22) and Jack Smith (11) managed double figures as five players made one or less.

Other than Shipman’s five-fer, Mills (2-4) also impressed in a deadly two-over blast.

The loss leaves Sutton in fifth place ahead of their home game with Whittlesey this Sunday (12.30pm).