The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding Town’s tough start to the new Lincs ECB Premier Division season continued on Saturday as they suffered a 152-run defeat at Bourne.
An unbeaten 121 from just 77 balls by Peter Morgan inspired hosts Bourne to 307-3 at the Abbey Lawn, with Jonathan Cheer (88) and Sam Evison (61) also adding half-centuries.
Opener Jon Manton batted superbly in reply with a defiant 77, but only three of his team-mates were able to make double figures as Brandon Diplock (5-22) starred with the ball to dismiss Town for 155.
That secured a maximum haul of 20 points for Bourne, while Spalding took three points home – leaving Chris Dring’s side bottom of the embryonic table.
Defending champions Bourne won the toss and opted to bat first against a Spalding side that are newly-promoted into the division.
Famed for their batting prowess, the hosts started well with Evison and Jordan Temple taking the score to 53 before the latter was removed by Josh Lawrence (2-54).
Cheer joined Evison at the crease and the pair frustrated the Town attack, reaching 101-2 before Evison’s 84-ball knock, which included a six and nine fours, came to a close when Harry DeCamps (1-43) had him stumped by Ethan Lawrence.
However, that set the stage for a massive 183-run stand between Cheer and Morgan – which effectively took the game away from Town.
Morgan was in incredibly destructive form, launching seven sixes and 11 fours in his explosive knock that saw him finish with a great strike rate of 157.14.
Cheer was no slouch as he went at 106.02, also finding the rope 11 times and clearing the boundary twice in his 83-ball innings.
Josh Lawrence eventually had Cheer caught by Nilantha Atapattu 12 shy of his ton, leaving Rob Bentley (3 not out) to complete the innings alongside magnificent centurion Morgan.
Spalding needed a solid foundation if they were to get anywhere near their huge target, but lost Aussie opener Mitch Freeman to Diplock for just seven.
Worse was to follow as Diplock trapped Josh Lawrence LBW for a two-ball duck in the same over, leaving the visitors in a spot of bother at 20-2.
Skipper Dring joined Manton and the pair took the total past 50, with the number four notching two boundaries.
But Bentley (2-29) soon removed the Town captain for 13 and added Atapattu (11) to leave them on 68-4.
Jay White (8) and Ethan Lawrence (7) came and went, before Matt Gill (21) offered Manton a little support as he chased a ton.
Gill hung around for 40 balls and scored three boundaries before Diplock rearranged his stumps.
That exposed the tail, with Brandon Andrews (0) becoming Diplock’s fifth victim and Freddie Arlott (2-40) getting Decamps (0).
Manton, who played beatifully in his 117-ball effort and struck ten boundaries, was the last man out to Dan Bandaranaike (1-12) as Town were all out in the 46th over.
Next up for them is a trip to Louth on Saturday (11.30am).
Louth got their first win of the season last Saturday as they saw off Nettleham.
Results (Sat): Skegness 127, Grantham 304-6; Bourne 307-3, Spalding 155; Bracebridge Heath 162, Scunthorpe Town 220; Nettleham 145, Louth 260-4; Sleaford 196-6, Lindum 195-8; Woodhall Spa 123-1, Market Deeping 119.
Fixtures (Sat, 11.30am unless stated): Bracebridge Heath v Sleaford; Grantham v Market Deeping; Lindum v Bourne; Louth v Spalding; Nettleham v Woodhall Spa; Scunthorpe Town v Skegness (noon).
