Bracebridge anchored in doldrums

Another defeat for perennial champions Bracebridge Heath has blown the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League wide open after Skegness took maximum points against Woodhall to go top.

Skegness went into pole position following their 20 point win over Woodhall after Grimsby could only manage a winning draw at home to Market Deeping so stay second.

Nettleham share third place with Bourne who survived a mid-innings hiccup at Hartsholme to win by two wickets but with only tiny fractions separating the top five teams, all have everything to play for.

At Cross O’Cliff Court, Nettleham set Bracebridge a modest total of 172, Warren Nel last man out for 94 and four wickets falling to Aaron Onyon and Matt Bradley.

But Bracebridge were unable to regain the batting form that has deserted them recently and were all out for 111 of which Brett Houston hit 42 while for the visitors, Andy Carter and James Stevens also took four wickets each.

The closest game of the day came lower down the table after Lindum set Boston a seemingly tough target of 263 for eight, Pierce Morley-Barnes hitting 54.

However, the home side also made runs in the sunshine and looked like securing a surprise victory until, with just five balls of the match to go, the final wicket fell on 259, three players having notched up half centuries.

Boston stay bottom but are in close touch with the three teams above them after Woodhall went down at Skegness by six wickets, Jack Luffman and Ricky Lovelace making half centuries for the visitors and Saeed Bariwala and Carl Wilson for Skegness.

Hartsholme failed to bowl Bourne out despite Martin Shillito’s haul of 5-40 but are on equal terms with Louth who lost five of their wickets to Jonathan Miles but gave Sleaford a hard time before the home side eventually won by four wickets, Tom Shorthouse making an unbeaten 81.

Grimsby’s Neal Snell hit the day’s only century, piling on a massive 157 at home to Deeping but Charlie Kearns with 74 and Gary Yeeles (59) helped the visitors hang on for a share of the points.