There was a poignant start to the new South Lincs Border League Championship season for Moulton Harrox on Saturday.
Their match at Boston was preceded with a minute’s silence and a minute of applause in memory of former first team captain Mark ‘Rambo’ Ramsden, who died over the winter.
Moulton will wear team shirts with a permanent black armband printed with Rambo’s name throughout the season. They have also retired the No.1 shirt.
Further tribute was paid to their former captain in a style he would have been proud of as they opened their campaign with a three-wicket win.
Curtis Todd (6-15) and new captain Matt Rose (3-36) tore into the home batting, skittling them for 84.
Victory did not come easy though. Jamie Juckes (20) and Ruari Drumm (14) put on 26 for the first wicket but they needed a captain’s innings of 30 from Rose to reach 87/7.
Long Sutton returned to the South Lincs Border League after a brief stay in the Lincolnshire Board League but were left frustrated as they opened with a one-run defeat at Newborough.
The hosts were restricted to 180/8 and Sutton looked set for victory at 132/6 but lost their last four wickets for 47 runs, leaving them all out for 179, with Jack Baker unbeaten on 45.
Sutton seconds were also beaten, going down by seven wickets to Heckington in Division One. A solid middle-order stand between Dan Plant (54no) and Phil Barnes (44) saw them post 133/7 from their 45 overs but the visitors knocked them off for the loss of only three wickets
There was also defeat for Moulton Harrox seconds, beaten by 215 runs at Billingborough, who struck 371/5. They then reduced Moulton to 156/9, despite decent knocks from Danny Jackson (48), Anish Suwarneraj (26) and Jamie Parrish (25).
