South Lincs & Border League Championship: Moulton Harrox 1sts suffer second defeat of the season, losing to Ketton Sports 1sts

Moulton Harrox 1sts sit nine points behind South Lincs & Border League Championship leaders Newborough 1sts, having been consigned to just a second league defeat by Ketton Sports 1sts on Saturday.

Matthew Rose (3-33) was the pick of the Moulton Harrox bowlers in Sports’ 214-8 from 45 overs.

He bowled Matt Bird for 13 from eight balls to leave the visitors 14-1 and then took a catch from Lee Eyett’s bowling (1-42) as Brad Lucas went for 10.

Flynn McMillan was also kept busy behind the stumps, taking a catch off Alex Baker (1-14) to dismiss Dan Hughes for 48 and running out Toby Coulson for 27.

In reply, the home team’s run chase got off to a positive start, which saw Jamie Juckes blast 50 from 43 balls and he shared a 65-run opening stand with Ruari Drumm before he went for 20.

But Juckes soon followed Drumm back to the pavilion, being trapped in front by Freddie Riddington (1-24) and that was about as good as it got for Moulton Harrox on a rare off-day.

McMillan (24) was their next highest scorer but they collapsed from 127-3 to 181 all out in 35 overs.

In the same division, second-bottom Long Sutton remain winless this season after being edged out by two wickets at home to Sleaford 2nds.

They looked on for another disappointing total, despite captain Josh Baker’s 26 from 15 balls, as Giles Goddard (3-20) and Rhys Collings (2-32) ploughed through the top order.

But Barry Stanway’s swashbuckling 40 off 23 balls helped them to 147 all out in just the 28th over, Stanway one of the scalps for Simon Godby (3-48).

Josh Baker (2-26) struck early twice to give Long Sutton hope of a long-awaited success. Stanway (2-28) and Charlie Crisp (2-29) also claimed scalps - the latter involved in a run out, too - only for Sleaford to scramble home.

Third-placed Division 1 side Billingborough 1sts are 16 points off the two promotion places with games in hand after they were five-wicket winners at home to frontrunners Freiston L&L 1sts.

Aaron Green (3-42) and Shane George (2-51) made early breakthroughs to leave the visitors 65-4.

Freiston recovered well, however, largely thanks to skipper Abdul Moeed’s 67, in their 225 all out. Robert Arnold (2-50) was also among the wickets.

Billingborough’s successful run chase centred around wicketkeeper Dylan Garfoot, who scored 129 not out off 120 balls in an innings that included 17 fours and one maximum.

While No.2 to No.6 only added 35 runs in support, Garfoot eventually found a partner in captain Aaron Pullum.

His unbeaten 43 in an unbroken 103-run stand got them across the line in the 42nd over.

Long Sutton 2nds thrashed Boston 2nds by 129 runs in the same division.

Despite losing Luke Barwick for just two, Raghuvaran Pasupuleti (75) and wicketkeeper Luke Barnes (36) put on 130 runs to inspire their 228-7 from 45 overs. Martin Hodgson and Finlay Barnes returned 2-25 and 2-39, respectively, for Boston.

That total proved to be more than enough, with Ajith Mandala (3-15) wrecking havoc on Boston’s top order before Rob Simpson took figures of 3-21 from six overs.

Daniel Milgate (44) got nearly half of Boston’s total of 99 all out.

Market Deeping 2nds suffered a five-wicket Division 1 defeat at Burghley Park 2nds.

Fahad Saad (46) and Richard Pickering (41) steered them towards 166-8 from 40 overs. But the hosts got home with some 11 overs to spare.

Division 1 basement boys Moulton Harrox 2nds remain winless in Division 1 after they were thrashed by 169 runs at fourth-placed Heckington 1sts.

The efforts of Shanaka Sumanapala (2-28) and Cameron Fox (2-58) couldn’t restrict Heckington from amassing 261-5.

In reply, only captain Rob Callaby, with 25 not out, offered any kind of real resistance on another tough afternoon for Moulton Harrox.

Division 2 basement boys Spalding 2nds consigned Royal Boston 1sts to a 47-run loss as they claimed their first league victory of the summer.

There were half-centuries for Jay White (72 not out) and Jon Manton (54) in their total of 196-7.

Josh White (2-11) and Macey Andrews (2-11) both took early wickets before Jay White returned 3-27 from five overs to round off a fine all-round performance.