Hafiz Majeed cracked an explosive 75 and Jon Manton took five wickets to inspire Spalding Town to victory over Ufford Park 2nd in Rutland League Division Six on Sunday.
Town were bowled out for 179 batting first at the Memorial Field, but ended up winners by 26 runs after they wrapped up the Ufford reply for 153 in less than 43 overs.
The victory earned Spalding 19 match points and sees them move within 20 points of table-toppers Moulton Harrox 2nd.
Having won the toss, Spalding elected to make first use of what was a damp wicket after the heavy rain on Saturday.
Harry DeCamps (12) and David Thomas (37) started well at the top of the order, before Morgen Turner (2-43) got rid of the former.
Pakistani all-rounder Majeed joined young talent Thomas at the crease and the pair played some good shots.
Thomas found the boundary six times before becoming the first of three victims for Terry Rawlings (3-37).
He also got rid of Josh Lawrence (0) and James Hook (6), while Jordan Butcher was bowled by John Clifton (1-37).
Despite wickets falling around him, Majeed motored past 50 and hit three sixes and seven fours before finally succumbing to Jan Neville (4-23) for a brilliant 75.
Manton (14) and skipper Jack Barratt (11) both scored well down the innings, but the rest of the tail was bowled out cheaply to leave Town all out for 179 in the 42.2overs.
Ufford’s reply was inspired by two decent knocks up the order.
Skipper Danny Harrington made 30 before becoming Jonah Gill’s (1-25) sole victim, while fellow opener Jonathan Bingham (16) was the first of Manton’s (5-38) five scalps.
Number four Archie Davies top scored with 41, launching two big sixes and four fours before being cleaned up by Lawrence (3-32).
Turner did make 13 down the order, but when he was clean bowled by Manton the Ufford innings was quickly wrapped up 26 runs shy of the victory target.
- Moulton Harrox 2nd climbed to the top of Rutland League Division Six with a seven-wicket victory over Huntingdon and District at Broad Lane on Sunday.
Batting first, Harrox bowled Huntingdon out for 161 before knocking the runs off for the loss of three wickets in just 35 overs (162-3).
