Boryszczuk knock steers Middle Rasen to Hartsholme win

The home side won the toss and elected to bowl.

Hartsholme started the better despite losing a wicket in the first over of the match when Dan Norburn bowled the opener for a duck.

The away side scored at a good rate and were looking good on 52-1 when Norburn took two further wickets before the drinks break, leaving Hartsholme on 61-3 after 20 overs.

After drinks Middle Rasen bowled brilliantly and restricted the visitors, with Dan Quinlan bowling 10 overs for 21 runs, and both Todd Wray and Daniel Clark picking up two wickets apiece.

Despite a later flurry of runs Hartsholme finished on 166-8 after their 40 overs.

In reply, Darren Salmon and Tom Boryszczuk opened the batting and got the run chase off to a good start, racing to 38 after eight overs.

When Salmon was caught for 18, Ivan Nash joined Boryszczuk at the crease and the pair put on 50 runs to take Middle Rasen to 90-1 at drinks.

Immediately after the break, Boryszczuk brought up his half-century which included two big sixes, as the home side looked to be cruising to victory.

However, when Nash was bowled, it sparked a mini collapse as Middle Rasen were 141-7 with five overs remaining.

Boryszczuk finally fell for a brilliant 80 which left Wray to score a quick 29 not out to see the game out with Clark, clinching victory with two overs to spare and only one wicket remaining.

The win and 20-point haul lifted Rasen out of the Premier Division’s bottom two and up to sixth.

Middle Rasen travel to fifth-placed Sleaford this Sunday for a 2pm start.