As Bracebridge Heath marched on at the top of the Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League, Grantham and Bourne hung on to second and third places by the skin of their teeth. Grantham scored a one run victory over Sleaford while Bourne’s win against Lindum came off the penultimate ball of the match. At Gorse Lane, a sixth wicket partnership of 62 between Dan Webb and James Keast helped Grantham to 224 for eight after tight bowling from Sleaford had restricted the run rate. Webb hit 66 but Sleaford also found batting form on Grantham’s good track, Andy Hibberd putting together stands of 49 with Jack Wilson and 72 with Shaun Morris. When Hibberd went for 93, Sleaford needed 17 to win off 21 balls but with two runs needed to win off the final delivery, Adi Sreeharan was run out, giving Grantham the narrowest of victories. At Lindum, Richard Bishop hit 61 of the home side’s 165 for eight while Tom Lindsay was unbeaten on 41 at the close. Bourne were 66 for three when Sam Evison and Carl Wilson got together to add 48, but the next three wickets went for just five runs, including Evison for 44. Quewin O’Connor and Rob Bentley added 26 and Tom Dixon then joined O’Connor to inch his side towards a three-wicket victory which came of the fifth ball of the final over. Spalding scored a welcome win over Alford, who bowled the home side out for 167 only to collapse to 94 all out. Spalding stay bottom, having been deducted points for playing an ineligible player, but Grimsby Town are still in danger in 11th place following defeat at Market Deeping. Ali Sharpe took five wickets as Grimsby were bowled out for 133 and Nick Green added another 72 to his growing total of runs as Deeping claimed a four wicket win. Boston moved up a place in the table after Paul Deans took five Woodhall Spa wickets to help bowl the home side out for 171, a total Boston overtook for the loss of six wickets. Bracebridge Heath once again topped the 300 mark at Louth, Matt Lineker hitting 118 and Matt Carter 69 in their side’s total of 337 for seven. The home side were then bowled out for 110, Alex Willerton taking five wickets. Results: Bracebridge Heath 337-7 (Lineker 118, M Carter 69), Louth 110 (Willerton 5-30); Grantham 224-8 (Webb 66), Sleaford 223-8 (Hibberd 93); Grimsby 133 (Sharp 5-50), Market Deeping 135-4 (N Green 72); Lindum 165-8 (Bishop 61), Bourne 169-7; Woodhall Spa 171 (Deans 5-49), Boston 172-6; Spalding 167, Alford 94.
