South Notts League
Division A
Ellerslie 225-7
Belvoir 146
Having stood firm for 32 balls, Matt Irvine followed a Charlie Shreck ball to leg and edged to Ellerslie’s captain and keeper John Wakeling, giving the visitors a deserved 79-run victory.
Earlier, Ellerslie had knocked up 225-7 with Wakeling top-scoring on 45 out of a first wicket partnership of 87 with Eddie Somekh (31). These two had been going along at four per over but the run rate decreased with the fall of three wickets for two runs. Two of these went to Belvoir’s Lewis Dann (2-62).
Kane Wilson (43) and Charlie Shreck pulled the game back Ellerslie’s way before Tony Wade bowled Shreck. Pete Vladev (25no) played with perfect counterpoint to Kane’s more robust hitting, and then Matt Footitt’s (37 from 23 balls) all-out attack.
Belvoir’s bowling suffered from this late 20/20 surge but toiled manfully to the end with Lyndon James finishing on 2-50. The fielding was highlighted by a wonderful low catch at short cover by Tom Neville, and another equally good at deep mid-wicket to Olly Clayfield.
When Belvoir batted, they lost wickets steadily to the zip and movement of Tariq Mahmood’s quick bowling. Ryan Lewis was looking good until undone by Shreck (3-21) and Chas Hubbard’s obdurate 23 came to an end at the hands of Pete Vladev.
Skipper Clayfield played a couple of typically elegant shots but was snaffled by a superb low catch to Shreck at slip. Respectability was restored to Belvoir’s score through an eighth wicket partnership of 42 from Lewis Dann and Tony Wade. The latter’s 30 featured five fours from his first nine deliveries, thwacked to all points of the compass. But, back came Mahmood to complete his 5-30 and all but wrap things up for Ellerslie.
South Lincs & Border League
Premier Division
Grantham 193-7
Welby 69
Grantham made the short trip to Welby hoping to make it a season double.
Winning the toss, Grantham decided to bat and in doing so lost a couple of early wickets but, thanks to a fine batting display from Stewart Mudie (49) and Matt Wing (20), got back on course.
A good score was on the card with some fine hitting from Peter Abraham (38) and Ady Wing (19no) getting Grantham to 193-7. Welby’s bowlers stuck to their task well with D.Curran (4-34) and M. Orrey (2-48) the pick of their bowlers.
In reply, Welby would have hoped for a solid start but this never materialised thanks to an excellent bowling display by Samuel Peters who ripped through the Welby batting order, taking seven wickets for only 23 runs in his 12 over spell. He was well supported by Adam Parker who took 2-13.
That just left Ady Wing to take the final wicket to give Grantham an emphatic 124 run victory.
Grantham & Melton Association
Division One
Empingham 205-6
Buckminster 199-5
Buckminster suffered their first defeat of the season in a rain-reduced game at second placed Empingham.
Bucky decided to bowl first but were held up by the home side’s opener Coburn who made 98 before being ran out. Jack Berry took 2-45 as the league leaders were left to chase more than seven an over.
Despite all the batsmen reaching double figures, no-one was able to make a match winning contribution. Andrew Murdoch top scored with 47, with Berry making 33, Dave Allen 33 and Jonny Murdoch 26.
Division Two
On a cloudy wet day, Grantham’s decision to bat first was fully justified when they declared on 259-8.
Runs came in the form of 118 for C. Payne, who in the spirit of cricket gave some of the other Grantham batsmen a chance by retiring, and P. Abraham 55no. Pick of the Whissendine bowling was K. Vickers’ 3-47 off 10 overs.
In reply, Whissendine got off to a good start and reached 74-0 in the 13th over. However, cue a superb piece of fielding from Rory Johnson ran out B. Edwards (31), and from there onwards the Whissendine wickets to continue to fall at regular intervals.
Again, Grantham’s prowess in the field showed as eight of the Whissendine wickets were taken by fielders. N. Stevenson and D. Ashley both took 3-28 of their 10 over spells, enabling Grantham to wrap up the game before the light failed.