The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding Town were handed a crushing 156-run defeat at Lincs ECB Premier League high-fliers Sleaford on Saturday.
Town, who have proved themselves more than capable of knocking off the big guns this season, had second-placed Sleaford toiling at 127-7 before they scrambled to 212 in 40 overs after winning the toss.
However, Spalding were unable to mount any kind of challenge in reply with Scott Tite’s 4-20 helping blow them away for just 56 in 21.1 overs.
The five points Spalding picked up see them stay ninth, but 11th-placed Nettleham are now only 21 points behind them.
Despite losing the toss on a very hot day, Town started well with the ball and Nilantha Atapattu (3-59) got rid of home skipper Thomas Shorthouse (2) early on.
Not content with removing one opener, Atapattu followed that wicket up with the scalp of Mason Mansfield (4) to leave Sleaford wobbling on 14-2.
Spalding smelt blood at this point and Brandon Andrews (2-37) struck to dismiss Henry Cooper (1) without any further runs being added.
Tom Sanders (17) and Kieran Harbron (4) attempted to rebuild, but when they fell to Andrews and Atapattu respectively, Sleaford were in trouble at 47-5.
The hosts badly needed a partnership and one duly arrived, in the shape of Matthew Wing (46) and Drew Harbron (28), who put on 79 for the sixth wicket.
Wing cracked eight fours and a six in his 48-ball knock before being run out by Atapattu for 46.
Mitch Freeman (2-53) then got rid of Drew Habron one run later and the double-strike left Sleaford’s tail exposed on 127-7.
However, Cameron Hall (41 not out) played a fine cameo at the end of the innings to push Sleaford to a reasonable score of 212 before Harry DeCamps (1-20) claimed the final wicket.
Spalding’s reply couldn’t really have started much worse as they lost all of their top four for just 14 runs.
Freeman (0) was the first man out after being bowled by Tite, before Ollie Dring (0) was out caught and bowled by the same player.
Opener Jon Manton (6) was next to go as the terrific Tite had him trapped LBW, before Josh Lawrence (0) fell to Hall (1-18) to leave Town on 14-4.
Skipper Chris Dring (15) and Ethan Lawrence (9) did their best to steady the ship and added 24 for the fifth wicket before Drew Harbron (2-12) clean bowled the latter.
The same player then pinned Chris Dring LBW to move the score on to 40-6, which soon became 40-7 when Cooper (2-5) got Atapattu (1).
Matt Gill (8) was the next to go after being run out by Kieran Harbron, before Tite returned to bowl Harry Birch for just one.
That left Brandon Andrews (2) to be the last man out in the 21st over as Cooper claimed his second and sealed the success.
The 20-point haul keeps Sleaford hot on the heels of leaders and defending champions Bourne in second place.
And it’s the table-toppers who Spalding Town face next, with the men from the Abbey Lawn visiting Seas End Hall on Saturday (11.30am).
The two sides directly below Spalding, Louth and Nettleham, also clash on Saturday.
