It was not only the wet weekend that brought misery for local cricket teams at the weekend.
Friday’s deluge left many fixtures in doubt but five matches did go ahead – alas, all bringing defeats.
In the Lincolnshire Board Premier League, Spalding ran out of batsmen, just short of their revised target at Lindum.
Mitch Freeman (4-27) excelled in the damp conditions to restrict the hosts to 160, with Nilantha Atapattu (2-17) and Brandon Andrews (2-37) taking two wickets each.
Ollie Dring hit 38 in reply as Spalding reached 61/2 but wickets fell quickly after that with only Brandon Andrews’ late unbeaten 21 offering hope as they recovered from 120/9 to reach 152 all out.
Boston’s solid top order proved the undoing of Long Sutton in the South Lincolnshire & Border League Championship.
The hosts amassed 218/3 on their way to a 47-run success, with Jacob Gray (46), Nathan Olier (35) and Rajan Singh (34) leading the response for the leaders.
Moulton Harrox’s home match against Market Deeping Seconds was abandoned after 19 overs with the hosts on 118/4 in the first innings.
Jamie Juckes hit the ball to all parts before missing a straight one to fall for 19, while Jack Barnett hauled out to deep mid-wicket for 21.
Captain Chris Beale dropped anchor to make an unbeaten 30, with Australian Jamie Kitchen scoring 24.
However, despite the best efforts of long-serving assistant groundsman Alan Potts, rain brought an early end.
In Division One, Moulton Seconds crashed to an 88-run defeat at Baston, despite removing both openers for nought, with Alex Baker taking a first-ball wicket.
Four wickets from Cam Fox restricted Baston to 124.
After a short break for rain, Moulton faced a sticky pudding of a pitch and their innings was short lived with only last man Dylan Stukins reaching double figures as they succumbed for a meagre 36.
Spalding Seconds home clash with Burghley was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Long Sutton Seconds Division Two match at Ketton Seconds was abandoned with the hosts on 103 without loss, while no play was possible for Spalding Thirds at Burghley Seconds.
In Division Four East of the Rutland Sunday League, Long Sutton went down by eight wickets at Peterborough Town Seconds. Alistair Drohan top-scored with 29 in the Sutton innings of 88.
Mark Ramsden bludgeoned 26 in Moulton Harrox’s five-wicket defeat at Royal Strikers.
Rob Callaby added a late unbeaten 35 in a score of 120 all out.
Cam Fox took four wickets but Strikers reached their target in the 26th over.
The scheduled Division Two encounter between Long Sutton and Ketton Sports resulted in a home walkover after the visitors conceded.
