Moulton Harrox’s bright start at the top of the South Lincs and Border League Premier Division came to an end after they fell to a 21 run defeat at Grantham 2nd XI on Saturday.
The home side elected to bat on winning the toss and Blake Wolstenholme (1 for 23) and Matthew Rose giving Moulton a fantastic start.
Rose took 5 for 39 from his 8.3 overs and backed by Lee Eyett (3 for 51) and Flynn McMillan (1 for 25).
He also returned to end the innings of Quendeel Haider whose 97 went a long way to getting the win for Grantham.
Moulton started well, but were unable to keep up with the run rate, despite Chris Beale carrying his bat for an unbeaten 77.
Wolstenholme scored 36 in a strong opening partnership with the South Holland side losing wickets when it came to upping the scoring rate.
Matthew Rose (18) and Jamie Juckes (19) did what they could before being bowled but Moulton finished the 45 overs on 180 for 6.
Moulton’s 2nd string did get a victory at home to Grantham 3rds in Division Two.
They put the visitors in and kept a lid on the run rate despite a 48 run opening partnership between the Grantham openers Rysz Page (28) and Toby Cullen (20).
From there though Moulton struck regularly and Grantham finished 115 all out in the 42nd over.
Harry Shersby (3 for 23), Zak Maddison (3 for 27), Lewis Martin (2 for 11) and Mohammad Alam (2 for 20) were all among the wickets.
Alam (20) and Clive Bayston (5) put on 33 for the first wicket but the latter was bowled as was Lewis Martin for a golden duck.
Moulton were then 60 for 4, but as Anish Suwarneraj (18 not out) anchored, Danny Jackson’s counter attack proved effective and his quicker than a run a ball 36 not out saw Harrox to a six wicket win in the 26th over.
Moulton Harrox’s Sunday side launched its Rutland League Division Four East campaign with a heavy defeat against Huntingdon side Pak Azad.
They elected to bat first at Harrox Playing Field but were 92 all out inside 30 overs, Flynn McMillan (27), Ruari Drumm (18) and Cameron Fox (15) their top scorers while Pak’s Mohammad Ayub took 7 for 14 in 6.3 overs.
McMillan (2 for 26) had the visitors 21 for 2 but that was as good as it got for Moulton.
Sheroz Hussain’s (55 not out) and Gulraiz Khan (27 not out) both scored at around a run a ball to give Pak an eight wicket win in the 19th over.
