Captain Matt Rose ensured Moulton Harrox stayed on the coat-tails of South Lincs Border League Championship leaders Newborough with a hat-trick and a share of a match-winning partnership.
A comprehensive six-wicket win at Grantham Seconds put his side in good heart ahead of this Saturday’s crunch clash between the top two.
Rose won the toss and elected to field. He was rewarded with a hat-trick that saw the hosts tumble from 36/1 to 36/4 and a run out soon after had Grantham wallowing with half their batting gone and only 39 runs on the board.
Kai Page added 39 to give some respectability to the home score but they were all out in the 44th over for 117.
Moulton still had a battle on their hands, especially after losing their first three wickets for only 12 and were on 47/4 before Rose joined Paul Edgeller at the crease. Recent recruit Edgeller went on to score his first half-century for the team with an unbeaten 55 and Rose was not out on 33 as the pair shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 75 to lead the team to a winning 122/4 inside 28 overs.
Moulton Seconds remain in a Division One relegation battle after a heavy defeat at home to Ancaster.
Having lost the toss, they were little more than bystanders as the visitors racked up the runs with Anthony Richardson (126no) one of three batsmen to pass 60, after the openers had also put on 71 runs.
They finished on a substantial 348/5 with Pradeep Indika (2-27) the pick of the seven home bowlers.
Moulton lost their first two wickets with only 15 runs to show for them but Eranda Munasinghege (37) and Thilina Dilsham (35) put on 61 for the third wicket.
Clive Bayston (26) also dug in and was last man out with no.11 Rob Callaby (12no) the only other batsman to reach double figures in Moulton’s 42-over total of 170.
A five-wicket defeat at second-placed Whittlesey ended Moulton’s Sunday side’s promotion hopes in Division Four East of the Rutland League.
