Market Rasen brought back to earth at Cherry Willingham

The Firsts travelled to the defending Lincs County League champions on a high after last weekend’s results, and having won the toss, elected to bowl first.

The decision proved the correct one as Rasen made an excellent start thanks to in-form bowlers Ryan Penniston and Will Bradford who took five wickets in the first 15 overs to leave Cherry reeling on 34-5.

Penniston then took two more quick wickets as the home side continued to struggle on 52-7 at the halfway stage.

However, Cherry showed the fighting spirit which won them the title last season as Andrew Johnson and Joe Dobson built a partnership of 66 for the eighth wicket to take the hosts past 100.

Johnson then brought up his half-century as Cherry looked to post a defendable first innings score.

Rasen managed to claim the remaining wickets and bowled them out for 166 with a ball to spare of the innings.

Penniston finished with impressive figures of 4 for 23 from 16 overs, while Johnson top-scored with 56, well supported by Dobson (43).

In reply, the visitors lost two early wickets, but recovered well through Dave Papworth (35), Lee Chambers (17) and Chris Higgins (19).

However when Chambers was bowled and Higgins was then run out soon after with the score on 80, the chances of chasing down the total had diminished.

Rasen were able to frustrate the home side by batting out the overs, finishing on 102-9 to prevent Cherry Willingham from claiming maximum points.

They dropped to fourth in the Premier Division table and next host Holton-le-Clay on Saturday (1pm start).

Cherry Willingham: 166.

Bowling: R. Penniston 16-5-23-4; W. Bradford 12-2-54-3; C. Scales 9-1-24-1; C. Higgins 5.5-0-23-1; L. Entwhistle 7-0-28-1.

Rasen: D. Papworth 35, W. Bradford 0, N. Davies 0, L. Chambers 17, C. Higgins 19, R. Chamberlain 0, C. Scales 0, J. Snell 1, L. Entwhistle 5, R. Penniston 4*, M. Bedford 0*, Extras 21, Total: 102-9.