An unbeaten 170 partnership between Warren Nel and Josh Newton fired Spalding Town to a crushing ten-wicket win over rivals Long Sutton on Saturday.
Nel was at his irrepressible best as he plundered 103 not out at Paradise Field, while Newton made a cool unbeaten 60 in Town’s 170-0.
Hosts Sutton had earlier posted 169-5 in the South Lincs and Border League Premier Division clash, with Barry Stanway (40no) and Dan Oldfield making unbeaten scores of more than 30.
New Spalding signing Hafiz Majeed, a 34-year-old Pakistani all-rounder, took two Sutton wickets, with Jack Barratt bagging the other three.
Spalding skipper Rob Ambrose, who would have opened with Nel but for an injury he sustained while fielding, heaped praise on his top two batsmen.
But he emphasised that this kind of performance should be the norm for his side as they bid to make an instant return to the Lincs ECB Premier League.
Ambrose said: “I picked up a knock before and during the game, so we decided to let Josh open with Warren – and that’s the end of the story!
“To be honest, the pitch was great. It was as good a deck as I can remember at Sutton, credit to them.
“Perhaps we let them get 20 or 30 more than they should have, but I was happy with our bowlers. Hafiz is a welcome addition to the squad and is that extra frontline bowler we’ve been badly missing.
“However, once Warren and Josh got going they never looked like getting out.
“Warren farmed the strike well, while Josh actually had a sore hand throughout.
“Every bad ball went for a boundary and in the end we were comfortable.
“No disrespect to any sides, but that’s what we should be doing week in, week out at this level.
“We’ve got to show that kind of confidence in every game. We’ve got no divine right to win the league, but the ability is certainly there.
“As far as I’m concerned, we should be taking 20 points a week.”
Sutton skipper Phil Barnes admitted that Spalding were just too strong for his side – and paid tribute to the performances of Nel and Newton.
He said: “I thought we batted as well as we could. At tea I thought we were in the game. But it’s the first time our bowlers have been taken apart like that – Nel and Newton are class batsman.
“It’s not the bowlers’ fault – we win as a team and lose as a team.”
This Saturday sees Sutton on the road at another former Lincs ECB Premier Division side in Billingborough, while Town play host to Belton Park at Spalding Grammar School.
RESULTS
SLBL Premier Division: Belton Park 137, Woodhall Spa 2nd 141-5 (Bee 53no); Boston 2nd 199-6, Sleaford 2nd 151 (Roberts 5-34); Bourne 220-8, Grantham 2nd 122; Long Sutton 169-5, Spalding 170-0 (Nel 103no, Newton 60no); Market Deeping 2nd 242-8 (Witt 91), Stamford Town 184.
