The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A strong all-round display saw Spalding Town beat Sleaford 2nd by 80 runs on Saturday to remain top of the South Lincs and Border League Premier Division table.
Opener Jon Manton top scored with an impressive 74 as Town posted 181-5 batting first at Spalding Grammar School.
Visitors Sleaford were then knocked over for 101 in reply, with William Naylor (3-22), skipper Jon Miles (2-26) and Julian Wilson (2-8) the chief tormentors.
The 19-point haul keeps Town three points clear of title rivals Bourne 2nd at the top of the table.
Visitors Sleaford won the toss on Saturday and opted to have a bowl, on what was the first warm weekend in a while.
Manton and Joseph Broomfield (16) made a solid start, before the latter was trapped LBW by Kieran Harbron (1-22) with the score on 49.
Number three Josh Newton joined Manton at the crease and the pair added 48 before Newton fell to Harvey Harris (1-32) for a quick-fire 20.
That brought captain Miles to the middle and, once again, he and Manton shared a solid stand of 51.
Manton, who hit eight fours in his 118-ball knock, was next to go after becoming one of Paul Roberts’ (2-40) two victims.
Miles cracked the only six of the innings as he and Ethan Lawrence (11) pushed the score to 170-4, but he fell for 30 with the score on 170.
Lawrence was out to Paul Roberts (2-40) three runs later, allowing Rob Ambrose (6 not out) and William Barnes (3 not out) to take over and edge Town to 181-5.
The Sleaford reply got off to a rocky start, with Spalding striking three times early on to reduce them to 27-3.
Brandon Andrews (1-18) delivered first to dismiss Conor Harbron (13), then Naylor struck twice in quick-succession to get Charlie Roberts and Jake Henderson for ducks.
Naylor was back in business by bowling Daniel Hutson (9) to make it 41-4, then Jonathan Garner (1-22) smashed Paul Roberts’ stumps to leave Sleaford struggling on 68-5.
Gianlucca Bucci (17) was then run out by Naylor with the total on 90 to trigger another wicket spree.
Miles bowled Mason Mansfield (6) and had Neil Henderson (0) LBW, while Wilson took down Kieran Harbron’s (0) stumps and Wilson had Harris (0) caught and bowled.
That left Simon Godby stranded on ten, as Sleaford fell way short of their target.
This Saturday sees Spalding visit fourth-placed Freiston (1pm).
