The latest league tables make grim reading for Spalding and Long Sutton Cricket Clubs.
The clubs’ six teams have managed just one win from their cumulative 27 matches so far this season, resulting in them all sitting at or near the foot of their respective tables.
Moulton Harrox continue to buck the trend, although their first team were knocked off the top of the South Lincs Border League Championship, albeit because they were without a game.
Saturday’s only winners were Moulton Harrox Seconds, who moved up to second place in the Division Two table with a 13-run victory at Skegness Seconds.
They got off to a solid start thanks to openers Blake Wolstenholme (24) and Anish Suwarneraj (61), with Ruari Drumm adding another 61 at No.4 as they completed their 45 overs on 186/7.
Home captain Shaun Dawson threatened to upset the visitors with 80, especially when he was joined by Qaiser Iqbal (39) but Flynn McMillan took both those wickets in his 4-22 from nine overs. Two wickets apiece for Suwarneraj (2-24) and Wolstenhome (2-32) saw Skegness dismissed for 173 in the 42nd over.
In the Lincolnshire Board Premier League, Long Sutton dropped to the bottom of the table after a hefty
174-run defeat at new leaders Grantham.
Home opener Atiq Bhatti rattled off 11 6s and 12 4s on his way to 136 before Joe Whitaker caught him off the bowling of Charlie Crisp (2-34). By then unfortunately, he had enjoyed a 175-run opening partnership with Aqib Afzaal (37). Zahid Mansoor (47) and Ahmed Raza (30no) also scored well, despite the efforts of Crisp and Paul Edgeller (2-51) and the home side looked invincible on 325/6 from their 50 overs.
Long Sutton slumped to 38/4 in reply before Edgeller managed to gain a foothold but his unbeaten 57 (two 6s, five 4s) was in vain as his team-mates succumbed with only 151 on the scoreboard .
Sutton sit two points adrift of neighbours Spalding, who were sunk by 96 runs at home to Scunthorpe Town.
Ian Snowden struck 10 4s in his 94 at the top of the order having helped his team to 164/3 before being bowled by Ollie Dring just short of his century. Karanjit Bansal struck three 6s in an unbeaten middle order 40 as the visitors posted 215/6.
The pick of the Spalding bowlers was Josh Lawrence, who took 3-26 from five overs.
Openers Jon Manton (26) and Dring (21) failed to push on after building a partnership of 36 and that quickly became 65/5 as Scunthorpe gained control. Another three wickets fell for just two runs and 118/8 quickly became 119 all out under a six-pronged attack that saw all the bowlers rewarded with at least one wicket.
It was even worse for Spalding Seconds in Division One of the Border League where they were crushed at Ancaster by 10 wickets.
Captain Michael Kearns (40no) and Yuvraj Ranaut (24) built solid foundations but William Gardner (13) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as they mustered just 119/8 from their 45 overs.
That proved a simple task for Ancaster’s openers with Anthony Richardson leading the charge. He scored a lightning-quick 102 with partner Andy Lewis chipping in just 15 as they cantered to 121/0 in 18 overs.
In the Rutland Sunday League, Long Sutton conceded their match at Newborough but there was good news for Moulton Harrox in Division Four East, where they picked up a
four-wicket win against CSKA Emneth.
All seven Moulton bowlers picked up wickets with Harry Shersby (2-15), Flynn McMillan (2-16) and Dylan Stukins (2-30) leading the way in CSKA’s 118 all out.
Cameron Fox (38) and captain Harry Lovell (32) then guided the hosts to a winning 123/6 in the 33rd over.
