Bourne and Long Sutton win titles, tons at Burghley Park and Orton Park, defeats for Peterborough Town and Oundle Town
Bourne have won their first Lincs Premier Division title for four years.
The men from Abbey Lawn beat closest rivals Scunthorpe by nine runs in an effective title decider on Saturday. Bourne finished 30 points clear at the top after winning a low-scoring home game.
Opener Sam Evison top scored with 31 in Bourne’s 137 all-out, while Jack Berry chipped in with 27.
A modest score left Bourne vulnerable to Scunthorpe overhauling them at the summit, but from 73-3 the visitors slumped to 127 all out chasing a slightly revised target after a brief rain interruption. Kiwi Ray Toole (3-16 from 10 overs) was the pick of the Bourne bowling.
Pete Foster cracked a century as Burghley Park ensured a fourth place finish with a massive 174-run win at home to Grimsby. Foster made 108 of Burghley’s 334-9 before Xavier Wildsmith and Josh Weller picked up three wickets apiece in Grimsby’s 160 all out. There were two wickets each for James Laud and Ryan Gilmour.
Spalding finished next-to-bottom and have been relegated. They knew their fate before a six-wicket loss at Woodhall Spa yesterday. Aussie Walter Kinlock, promoted to open the batting, struck 107 from 79 balls as Spalding posted a decent 244. Grantham have also been relegated.
Market Deeping are one of the teams who will replace the bottom two. They sealed a championship-winning season in Championship South with a 54-run win over Bourne seconds at Outgang Road. Taha Shahid top scored in Deeping’s 306. Tom Dixon smacked a rapid 75 from 42 balls in Bourne’s 252.
Newborough, whose scheduled match against Grantham seconds was conceded to them, finished second and Orton Park are likely to finish fourth after beating Moulton Harrox by 177 runs in their penultimate fixture. Kieran Judd made 115 of Orton’s 287-6 before Oli Calpin (5-25) undermined the Moulton Harrox reply.
Orton Park finish their season at home to Sleaford seconds next Saturday (September 19).
Long Sutton sealed the Division One South title with a game to spare after winning by 42 runs at nearest challengers Freiston. Calvin Bird hit 64 of Sutton’s 173 before bowlers Rob Simpson (3-17), Uddyan Hansana (2-3) and Josh Baker (2-32) took over.
Fourth-placed Castor completed their season with a 209-run win over Market Deeping seconds at Port Lane. Ryan Evans hit six sixes in his unbeaten 123 as Castor amassed 304-6 in 45 overs before opening bowlers Stuart Dockerill (4-24) and Shaun Dunn (3-28) quickly wrecked the Deeping reply.
NORTHANTS LEAGUE
Peterborough Town and Oundle Town will clash at Bretton Gate next Saturday (11am) with only a fourth-place finish to fight over after both lost their penultimate fixtures yesterday.
The city side went down by 66 runs at Old Northamptonians after letting the home side’s final pair add 50. Leg-spinner Rohan Kundaje (3-19) returned the best Town figures as ON’s posted 207 all-out. The visitors were soon in trouble in reply with only Josh Smith offering much resistance with 46 in a total of 141.
Oundle went down by just four runs at home to Overstone after the visitors to Milton Road reached 242-9 in their 50 overs. Bill Amas (89) gave Oundle a positive start and Will Compton (54) almost got them home.