Emphatic Victory For Firsts

The 1st XI’s early season good form continued on Saturday in the Lincs ECB Premier League with an emphatic 132 run victory over the dangerous Market Deeping.

Home skipper Jack Luffman won the toss and elected to bat on a hard Jubilee Park surface and despite the overhead conditions his decision was vindicated with Spa posting a challenging 230-9 from its 50 overs.

This was based around two big partnerships of 113 between Sam Evison (56) and Malinga Bandara (85) and then one of 70 between Bandara and Ricky Lovelace (29). Indeed, Bandara was looking in fine form throughout his innings after arriving at the crease in the very first over and it was a surprise that he managed to find the hands of cover when it looked like a century was on the cards.

A middle-order collapse threatened to halt the side’s quest for maximum batting points but a bust partnership between the returning Jack Hughes (12 not out) and wicket-keeper Jack Timby (14) meant the side had a good total to defend.

The total looked even more daunting for the visitors once Joe Irving had accounted for two early wickets, the first a good catch by Etienne Botha at point and then a quick delivery to bowl the dangerous Gillet. The third wicket partnership was beginning to develop nicely for the visitors but Luke Smith trapped opener Jones LBW and then Irving claimed his third with a wonderful delivery to dismiss Deeping’s South African professional Kriek.

The introduction of spinners Bandara and Botha then put pay to any hope of a revival as they took advantage of a pitch that was beginning to turn and with the help of some good catching dismissed the visitors for just 98. Bandara claimed one scalp but it was his junior partner in crime Botha who grabbed the headlines claiming 5-16 from just 7.3 overs.

 

 

The 2nd XI travelled to Long Sutton and were disappointed not to have won another close encounter. Skipper Paul Timby invited the hosts to bat first after winning the toss and would have been delighted after restricting Sutton to just 128-9 from their 45 overs, especially since the skipper himself could only bowl one over after injuring his side in the field. This could keep him out of action for a few weeks.

Pick of the bowlers was left-arm seamer Sam Cherry who claimed 3-28 from his 12 overs with Lewis Holmes (3-35), Matt Haslam (2-12) and Henry Wilson (1-8) claiming the others to fall.

In reply the Spa were bowled out for 11 runs of the target. Rob bee (30), Timby (20) and Tom Dixon (32) all got starts but couldn’t go on and, like the previous week, the final wicket of Holmes (13) and Kieran Richardson (5 not out) almost got the Spa over the line.

May 11, 2015 12:00 am