The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A fine 120 from Josh Newton saw Moulton Harrox to a 20 run win at home to Skegness in the South Lincs and Border League Championship.
Captain Chris Beale lost the toss but was grateful to hear Skegness had opted to bowl first on a hot day with a classic flat track at Broad Lane.
Jamie Juckes and Beale opened the batting, with Beale playing his usual role of grinding the opposition down.
Juckes shot to 10 before an LBW ended his innings.
Josh Newton started in his usual way, with aggressive hacks and swipes at any loose bowling.
The score rose to 49 before Beale edged behind for 11 from 34 with a strike rate of 32.
Australian Jamie Kitchen joined Newton in upping the run rate, the pair racing past the 100 mark as the latter made yet another half century.
Kitchen looked like a man with a point to prove but was unable to capitalise, being trapped in front for 27.
Matt Rose joined Newton at the crease and began building a solid partnership, once again increasing the rate with Newton reaching his third century of the season.
Rose was dismissed for 29 hacking into cow corner with the score on 191 for 4.
A run a ball 28 not out enabled the score to rocket to 250 for 6 with Newton dismissed for an excellent 120 on the final ball of the innings.
Rose and 14-year-old Harry Lovell opened the attack, taking a series of quick wickets.
Rose dismissed the Skegness openers and Lovell trapped Path Pawlat for 9.
A strong partnership from Norman Brackley and Carl Abbis put Skegness in a good position, although behind the required run rate.
Kitchen bowled well in tandem with Curtis Todd but with Beale dropping a catch, they were unable to break the partnership.
Harrox desperately needed a wicket with Brackley and Abbis forming a 150-run partnership.
Beale took the decision to throw the ball to Steve Coles, who bowled a serious of incredibly tight deliveries, before Beale took the key catch of Brackley (73) at long on.
Kitchen and Lovell returned to the action, taking two wickets apiece and slowing down Skegness’ run rate beyond reach, leaving Abbis on 89 but 20 runs short.
2nd XI v Burghley Park (away)
Moulton’s 2nd XI were heavily beaten at Division Two leader Burghley Park.
Mark Ramsden won the toss, electing to bat first in the beautiful surroundings of Burghley Park.
Ramsden opened the innings alongside Joe Broomfield, but they were immediately under pressure from the skilful Burghley attack.
Ramsden (2) was trapped in front early whlie Broomfield was given a strong working over before edging behind to third slip.
Youngster Ruarri Drumm was joined by Karl Hibbert, who mounted a counter attack with Drumm looking very impressive.
Hibbert smashed four fours in a single over before Drumm edged behind for 12 and Hibbert was bowled himself for 20.
This was the end of double figure scores for the Harrox, resulting in a disappointing 62 all out from 19 overs.
Moulton started their bowling with Cam Fox and Jesús Stukins.
Unfortunately the Burghley innings only lasted four overs before they knocked the total off.
Moulton Harrox’s Sunday side earned a four wicket win at home to Royal Strikers of Peterborough in the Rutland Cricket League Division.
Royal Strikers won the toss and elected to bat on a flat looking track.
As usual, Lovell and Kitchen opened the bowling, immediately tightening the screws and taking two quick wickets.
Royal Strikers attempted to rebuild, but with Darren Hibbert and Cam Fox applying even further pressure, the score trundled to 40 for 3.
The Strikers continued to tick over but Fox’s 4 for 25, provided a real challenge for the away side.
Stukins picked up a wicket, eagerly supported by Drumm who took two.
Toffee Richardson-Woodward drove through with some tight bowling at the rear end of the innings as Strikers ended 43 all out.
Kitchen opened the batting with Karl Hibbert.
The score rocketed to 87 until three Moulton players were dismissed in quick succession, all trapped in front of the stumps leaving the score on 91 for 3.
Kitchen reached his well needed half century, with Steve Zinger down the other end.
He was bowled for 0, but did soak up several deliveries to stabilise the batting order.
Captain Rob Callaby came into the innings, to see Kitchen crumble under the pressure, being bowled by a ball that bounced twice before crashing into his leg stump for 69.
Callaby saw the side home with a career best 10, with six overs to go.
