Spalding Town’s charge halted by five-wicket defeat to Bourne at Abbey Lawn

Spalding Town’s winning run in the Lincs ECB Premier Division ground to a halt on Saturday as Bourne handed them a five-wicket reverse.

After impressing with the bat in their back-to-back wins over Alford and Louth, Town faltered at the Abbey Lawn and were dismissed for just 155 in 47.2 overs.

To their credit, the Spalding bowlers gave the notoriously strong Bourne batting line-up a severe test in their reply, but they reached 159-5 in 36.1 overs to clinch maximum points.

Knowing that a win could move them into the top six, Spalding travelled without star batsman Josh Newton and skipper Rob Ambrose.

They lost Faisal Javed (4) early as Colin Cheer (3-60) struck, but stand-in skipper Warren Nel (22) and Luke Hollingworth (15) steadied the ship.

That was until Town collapsed from 46-1 to 53-4. Hollingworth was first to go, bowled by Matt Kidd (4-16), then Cheer trapped Jon Miles (3) LBW.

Nel was next to go as Cheer castled his stumps, leaving Spalding in deep trouble.

However, Chris Dring –called into the first team after some stellar showings in the second side – helped push Town into three figures with a 41-ball 48, which included eight fours and a six.

Josh Lawrence (6) kept him company for 28 balls before falling to Jack Berry (2-36), but the score moved on to 110-5 before Dring became Berry’s second victim.

Jon Manton (a 76-ball 25) and Ben Smith (14) dug in to ensure Town passed 150, but the tail wasn’t able to wag and they slipped to 155 all out as Kidd returned to mop up the innings.

Chasing that total was never likely to be a problem for Bourne – but Spalding did make them work for their points.

Miles (2-27) removed dangerman Berry (4) early on, only for Jordan Temple (40) and Sam Evison (41) to put on 62 for the second wicket.

Dan Milgate (3-65) eventually got Evision LBW, before getting the prized wicket of captain Peter Morgan for a three-ball duck.

Aussie ace Milgate then snared Carl Wilson (4) a few balls later to leave Bourne with work to do on 70-4, but Quewin O’Connor (35 out) joined Temple at the crease and the pair added 44 for the fifth wicket.

Miles eventually bowled Temple to end his 99-ball stay, but Rob Bentley (22 not out) and O’Connor eased the hosts home.

Town now host Grantham on Saturday (noon).