Moulton Harrox 2nd remain top of the South Lincs and Border League Division One table after a seven-wicket success over Baston on Saturday.
Three wickets each from Curtis Todd and Simon Juckes bowled Baston out for just 100 after they’d been put into bat at Broad Lane.
Another captain’s knock from the in-form Mark Ramsden (40) then helped steer Moulton to 104-3 in reply as they made it seven wins from nine games and put themselves 27 points clear at the summit.
With Baston batting first, Moulton’s Harry Lovell (2-27) struck early to bowl skipper Ben Hudson (7), while Todd got rid of Anthony Morris (16) and Stanley Watson (4) – with the latter stumped by Ramsden.
Then it was the turn of Juckes to get involved as he trapped Martyn Wade LBW for 16, then A Eden for 7 as the top order was ripped apart.
David Greenfield (11) and James Roffe (15) did their utmost to get Baston to three figures down the order, but the Moulton bowlers continued to impress.
Roffe was eventually the last man out in the 38th over as Todd struck again, leaving Baston to defend 100 or hope that rain saved their bacon.
With the rain not forthcoming, Moulton made hay in their reply and cruised to their target in just 21.3 overs.
Although they lost Anish Suwarneraj (6) to Roffe (1-28) early on, Ramsden and Juckes (18) settled any nerves with a handy partnership.
Indeed, 36 of Ramsden’s 40 came from boundary fours, while Juckes found the rope four times himself.
Hudson (1-26) eventually had Juckes caught and Ramsden’s rapid knock came to a close when Greenfield ran him out ten shy of a half-century.
Much of the work was already done, though, allowing Karl Hibbert (8 not out) and Jamie Juckes (15 not out) to ease the hosts home in the 22nd over.
That was enough to secure 20 match points for Moulton, while Baston were forced to settle for just two points.
Next up for Harrox’s second string is a tough-looking test away to third-placed rivals Boston 2nd on Saturday (1pm).
- Plenty of cricket fixtures fell foul of the heavy rain on Saturday – including two involving leading South Holland teams.
In the South Lincs and Border League Premier Division, Long Sutton’s home game against Billingborough was abandoned after just ten overs of play.
Sutton did have visitors Billingborough on the rack at 55-3, with Paul Edgeller taking the wickets of Aaron Pullum and James Zealand and Dan Oldfield getting the other from a run out.
Moulton Harrox’s game at Heckington was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
