It’s crunch time this Saturday as Spalding Town Cricket Club try to preserve their Lincolnshire County Board Premier League status.
Ollie Dring’s side have a big but not overwhelming challenge as they head to Burghley Park in the final round of the season’s fixtures.
Spalding sit second from bottom in the standings, six points adrift from safety with fellow strugglers Market Deeping and Grimsby Town in their sights.
Market Deeping host mid-table Woodhall Spa while Grimsby Town visit second-placed Lindum, who will be looking to secure the runners-up spot.
Spalding’s fight for survival was not helped by downpours at Seas End Hall last Saturday, which curtailed the match against Sleaford.
They had steered themselves into a decent position, making 256 before being bowled out in the 48th over.
It hadn’t looked so good before numbers nine and ten batsmen Nilantha Atapattu and Matthew Key did an incredible job to massively boost Spalding. Key added a swashbuckling 70 runs off 36 deliveries, including two sixes and ten fours, and Atapattu chipped in with a very useful 28 runs.
Earlier, opener Jon Manton had made 45 and Barnaby Dring 30.
Unfortunately, having hauled themselves into a much better position to win the match and a crucial 20 points, Spalding never got the chance as heavy rain caused an abandonment.
Ollie Dring might’ve felt the 13 points was a useful return in their relegation scrap but the gap to third-from-bottom Market Deeping stretched by five points following their three-wicket win at bottom side Nettleham.
Meanwhile, Grimsby Town – the only other side Spalding could catch – were also taking 18 points in a three-wicket win at home to Grantham.
