Hopes of late-season silverware proved just out of reach for Spalding. The Lincs Premier League Premier Division strugglers had battled their way through to the George Marshall T20 Finals Day at Woodhall Spa but lost both games.
Chasing Bracebridge Heath’s 119/7 in their opening game, Spalding reached 91/9 to go down by 28 runs. Walter Kinlock (2-18) and Nilantha Atapattu (2-19) took two wickets each, with Mustafa Mughal and Barnaby Dring taking one apiece as Heath slipped from 98/2 to 108/6 at one stage. Divyeash Vaseeharan (39) led the Spalding reply but Ethan Lawrence (14) was the only other batsman to get into double figures after they had recovered from 23/5.
It was much closer in the second, chasing Woodhall Spa’s 135/4. In reply, Spalding were 130/8 when their overs ran out, just a six away from victory. Prasanna Jaywardene proved to be the home match-winner, with an unbeaten 70, despite the effort of Kinlock (2-15).
Vaseeharan (49) and Dring (35) pushed hard for victory, taking the total from 50/3 to 103/3 before they were separated. But it was too little too late as Spalding fell agonisingly short of success.
The final game decided the title and saw Bracebridge beat the hosts by 45 runs.
Long Sutton continued their march towards the Division One South title with an emphatic victory against Castor & Ailsworth. Jake Burton (5-12) led the charge as the visitors were out for 59.
Sutton struggled to put together any decent stands in reply but the combined efforts of Dan Oldfield (18no), Rajan Sangha (15), Tim Norris (12) and Dan Plant (10no) were enough to get them to 60/5.
After losing every game since their opening day win over Woodhall Spa, Moulton Harrox Seconds finally chalked up a second success, beating Heckington by 55 runs.
Jacob Gray (47), Jamie Juckes (37) and Eraanda Munasinghege (21) scored well in the hosts’ 188 all out, despite the efforts of Charlie Baxter (4-21).
Heckington made steady progress to 119/5 but then lost their last five wickets for just 14 runs to leave Moulton in the clear. Shanaka Sumanapala (4-23) and Seth Adhikaramge (3-37) were the top bowlers.
Long Sutton Seconds were well beaten in Division Two South, losing by eight wickets at Royal Boston.
Uddyan Hansana held up his end with 38 but the last six batsmen managed only one run between them as they folded for 66.
Openers Aneesh Sasidharan (29) and Manoj Kesavan (29) took the Boston side to the brink of victory before Ali Drohan caught the former off Callum John and then bowled the other himself before the hosts rallied to reach 67/2.
Spalding Seconds managed 117 at Skegness Seconds but the hosts reached their target with four wickets in hand. Andrew Sorrell (24) batted well as Spalding reached 43/1 and 71/3 but they then slumped from 91/5 to 117 all out.
The Spalding bowlers made a fist of things to reduce the home side to 14/3 but William Bowser hit 44 and Carl Abbis and Sreekanth Nair 23 each to ease Skegness to a winning 121/6.
Long Sutton Mallards have just about sealed runners-up spot in the Kevin Grimmer Division of the Mid-Norfolk Sunday League. A one-wicket win at Thornham Mariners leaves them needing just seven of the 25 points available from their last match to pip their own Colts side.
It was a nail-biter on the Norfolk coast though, where Thornham scored 220/7, having slipped from 75/1 to 126/5. Sutton needed all their batsmen to reach their target, hitting the winning runs off the last ball to score 221/9.
Rajan Sangha (50) top-scored, with opener Paul Rushen adding 24 before a late flurry saw Steven Milnes (24no), Ali Drohan (19) and Vijay Karavadara (18) propel to the team to victory from 172/8.
The Colts were beaten by 43 runs at home to champions Downham Stow. Tim Norris took 3-23 but three home batsmen got into their 40s to help them rack up 191/5.
Calvin Bird (37) and Dan Plant (16) started well for Sutton and Erander Kumara-Loan added 30 in the middle of the innings but they were bowled out for 148 in the 33rd over.
