Matt Rose took a first-over hat-trick to help Moulton Harrox to victory in the South Lincs Border League Championship.
The visitors’ strike bowler removed Bourne Seconds opener Jon Howard for a duck, caught by Robbie Townsend, before wicket-keeper Mark Ramsden caught his next two deliveries to remove William Gardner and Kurt Storey, also without scoring.
Rose, who celebrated the third wicket with a lightning dash to the boundary, where he was mobbed by delighted team-mates, ended up with 4-33 in his team’s 46-run victory that kept them in second place in the table.
Harry Lovell (3-24), Flynn McMillan (2-16) and Townsend (1-19) were also among the wickets as Bourne mustered 122 after 27.2 overs in reply to Moulton’s 168.
The away innings had also got off to a slow start before Townsend (45) steadied things, first with John Newton (18) and then with Rose (25) and McMillan (28) as they reached 168 all out in 44 overs.
l Spalding are only seven points clear of the bottom two teams in the Lincolnshire Board Premier League after a 144-run defeat at home to Bracebridge Heath.
Spalding enjoyed some success in the Bracebridge innings, reducing the visitors from 44/0 to 112/4 before Kit Spence (28) and Alex Moor (54) boosted their total, which closed on 217 in the 46th over.
The hosts used seven bowlers and six of them were rewarded with a wicket, led by Keyan Gace (3-30) and Barnaby Dring (2-44).
Spalding’s response never got off the ground with Jamie Coles (10) and Jon Manton (10) sharing their best stand of just 16 for the fourth wicket.
Chris Dring (also 10) was the only other batsman to reach double figures with extras (21) their top scorer in a total of 73 from 22.3 overs, earning them only five points. Avishka Tharindu (4-16) and Alex King (3-30) were their main tormentors.
l The bottom two were due to be in opposition but wet weather caused the cancellation of Long Sutton’s match at Grimsby Town, with both teams taking eight points from the call-off to narrow the deficit on Spalding.
Long Sutton Seconds are up to sixth place in Division One of the South Lincs Border League after leapfrogging visitors Heckington with a resounding 157-run victory.
Sutton lost captain Aron John for only 13 but built solid foundations through Rajan Sangha (50), Tim Norris (50) and Barry Stanway (89no). Dom Clay chipped in with 23 from the middle order to enable his team to post a decent 233/6 from their 45 overs.
Heckington rotated seven bowlers but only Pritesh Patel (2-50) took more than one wicket.
The visitors started well before wicketkeeper Luke Barnes caught both openers, off Rob Simpson and Steve Norris. It was a steady procession of batsmen to and from the pavilion after that with only one of them managing to reach double figures under the attack of Simpson (7-20) and Norris (3-16).
They ended up all out for 76 after 21 overs to hand Sutton 20 points.
l Spalding Seconds remain second bottom, 25 points adrift of Boston Seconds, after going down by 98 runs at Orton Park.
The home side batted first and a 98-run stand for the second wicket proved to be a winning one with Clive Evans making 87 and Navneet Agnihotri 43. Only Harry Sorensen (32) and Adam Boothman (19) caused any other problems for Spalding’s attack but the damage had been done.
Macey Andrews finished with 4-33 and there were two-wicket hauls for Milley Hastings (2-25), Billy Gallagher (2-41) and Leighton Graham (2-45).
Spalding opener Yuvraj Ranaut led the response and while he was in, they had a chance but he eventually fell for 71, having hit 10 fours.
Luke Sorrell (16) and Jack Sawyer (13) were the only other to get out of single figures in Spalding’s 44.4-over reply of 130.
l Moulton Harrox Seconds emerged three-wicket winners against Skegness Seconds to close the gap on the top two in Division Two to two points.
They looked well on their way to a comfortable victory when the visitors were reduced to 71/6 under the attack of Anish Suwarneraj (3-21) and Alex Baker (2-29). However, William Bowser (31) and Qaiser Iqbal (62) stepped in to halt their charge with an 82-run seventh-wicket partnership to help them to 168 all out.
Moulton lost both openers for only four runs between them but Lewis Martin (59), Cameron Fox (34), Lewis Peak (23) and Baker (22) steadied things and pushed them to 164/4 before a flurry of wickets left them limping over the line on 171/7 with three wickets and five balls in hand.
l Spalding Thirds fielded six juniors in their Division Three Sunday match against Freiston Leake & Leverton Seconds.
The hosts scored 81, 85 adrift of the Freiston total. Tim Bosco (4-18), Josh White (3-38) and Thomas Decamps (2-29) ensured the visitors did not have everything their way, with Leighton Graham (23) top scoring for Spalding.
l Moulton Harrox are locked in mid-table in Division Four East of the Rutland Sunday League after an eight-wicket defeat at Pak Azad.
Captain Harry Lovell’s mid-innings 42 formed the bulk of their 123/9 but Jawad Ali (50) and Arsalan Maqsood (43no) ensured their would be no away celebrations.
