Sorry batting performance condemns Bourne to first league defeat
A first defeat of the Readers Lincs ECB Premier League season came Bourne’s way last Saturday after a sorry batting performance.
Unbeaten Grantham easily picked them off after Courtney Kruger’s side were all out for 129.
Only Peter Morgan (30) and opener Jordan Temple (26) made any useful contribution after Bourne’s decision to bat first backfired.
Grantham’s attack had some useful figures to take back up the A1 after a successful afternoon at Abbey Lawn, Daniel Freeman bagging 3-18 and Mark Footitt 3-25. Freeman also made 62 with the bat in an eye-catching display.
Unfortunately for Bourne it was another early exit for opening bat Sam Evison. He made by virtue of two boundaries before being bowled by James Dobson with the score on 17.
Jack Berry came in to join Temple and the pair had edged the score up to 47 when Footitt claimed his first scalp, thanks to Carl Wilson’s safe hands.
It was to be one of four catches Wilson went on to make.
The real damage for Bourne came with the score on 91. Freeman trapped Peter Morgan LBW and Dan Bandaranaike and Matthew Kidd - who seven days earlier had made a solid stand to carry the side to victory at Bracebridge Heath - were both out without another run being added.
Grantham turned the screw and cleared up the tail end, Bourne limping to 129 before Wilson completed his quartet of catches to end Colin Cheer’s innings.
It was going to take a big effort from Bourne to salvage anything from the game and they used seven bowlers to try and unsettle Grantham.
There was a fantastic start to the home side’s reply when Kidd had Jaden Fell caught by Jonathan Stainsby.
That glimmer of light improved when Kidd then sent Ben Coddington on his way with an LBW decision. That made the score 3-2 but man-of-the-match Freeman came in to partner Ross Carnelley and the pair guided Grantham to 133-2 in the 30th over.
Bourne face another tough task on Saturday when unbeaten Lindum visit Abbey Lawn.
Market Deeping’s sorry start to the campaign stretched to a third straight defeat.
They lost by five wickets at Woodhall Spa after posting a below-par 155-7.
Highlight of the innings was Joe Malton’s unbeaten 47, which included seven fours. Sam Malton chipped in with a steady 32 from 66 balls before being bowled by Alex King.
It was a quiet day for experienced Dave Gillett, who faced only eight balls and made four runs.
Alfie Lindsey was Grantham’s main man with the ball, taking the wickets of Deeping’s top three batsmen for a paltry 13 runs.
It took a short while for Deeping to make the breakthrough in Woodhall’s reply but then four wickets fells within 30 runs.
First, Karl Green had Oliver Caswell caught by Connor Gillett and then Alex Green trapped Jack Timby in front of his wicket.
Jacob Howe picked up a couple of wickets but the arrival of Matthew Sargeant, making an unbeaten 61 off 71 balls, fired up Woodhall’s response and saw them home.
Deeping host Sleaford on Saturday, the visitors having only won once so far.
Other results: Lindum 234-4 (Wright 105, Cook 51no), Bracebridge Heath 192-8 (Dobson 60); Scunthorpe Town 202-6, Louth 193; Boston 227-6 (Cheer 109, Yousuff 50), Sleaford 164.