Grantham and Melton Cricket association round-up: Champions slip to third straight defeat

The defending champions remained second after defeat in the top-of-the-table clash with Evington Lions, but dropped 18 points behind the Premier Division leaders having played a game more.

Winning the toss, Queniborough batted first and made 186-7 in their 40 overs, largely thanks to 61 from Sam Payne, supported by useful runs from Lila Goraniya (23) and Arjun Jamnadas (20).

Payne then took two wickets in the Lions reply, while Praful Keahwala finished with figures of 3 for 37, but the visitors reached their target in quick time, with eight overs and three wickets in hand.

* In Division One, leaders Sproxton slipped to third after being docked 10 points for conceding their home match with Grantham who leapt above them into second place.

Harlaxton went top after an impressive eight-wicket win at Belvoir.

Openers Chris Bealby (55) and Fraser Fentem (79) laid the platform for a big total at Knipton, but four wickets from John Chell limited Belvoir’s progress to 214-8 at the end of their allocation.

Belvoir started well in the reply, with Ben Robinson bowling Harlaxton opener Alex Kettle for four, but that was as good as it got for the hosts as Chell came to the crease and continued his heroics.

He thrashed 133 to take the visitors to the brink of victory before finally falling to Daniel Wade,

But opener Richard Holloway remained unbeaten with 40 to see Harlaxton to their target at the start of the 32nd over.

Barkby slipped to sixth as they were bundled out for 75 at Illston Abbey, with captain Matthew Bartram, contributing almost half of the total.

United fought valiantly in reply with Josh Grant (3 for 17), Torin McLean (2 for 12) and Charlie Brown (2 for 18) all among the wickets, but Abbey sneaked home by three wickets.

Bottesford climbed off the bottom of Division One after their second straight win, this time at home to Ashby Carington.

Having opted to bat, Nigel Lewis (29) and Finlay Moore (20) top-scored for the Ashby Folville side as Cameron Levey (3 for 10) and Daniel Barratt (3 for 22) helped bowl out the visitors for 134 in 33 overs.

Moore then bowled both Bottesford openers Ryan Charlesworth (32) and Barratt (17), but Daniel Pinfold’s rapid unbeaten 69 saw Bottesford cruise to victory in just 21 overs.

* Back-to-back wins for Melton Mowbray’s Sunday XI brought them closer to the top half of Division Two after edging past bottom side Croxton Kerrial.

Opting to bat first at the All England Sports Ground, Melton made a solid start through openers James Cusack (27) and Matthew Wright (40).

Danny Aylin weighed in with four wickets and a run-out, but good contributions from Jamie Tew (36), Louis Birch (20) and an important late cameo from skipper Ben Redwood (44 not out) helped the home side post 221-9.

Aylin also starred with the bat for Croxton, opening and scoring 102, but his only support of note came from Jamie Parkman (17) and Jamie Picker (15) as the visitors were bowled out for 185, still with seven overs in hand.

Melton shared the wickets around, with Jamie Wilson taking 3 for 49, and two apiece for Sean Thorpe (2 for 31), Archie Cropper (2 for 27) and Wright (2 for 21).

Frisby, Hoby and Rotherby missed the opportunity to move above Buckminster and Barrowby into third place when they were bundled out for 93 in an eight-wicket defeat at fourth-bottom Stamford.

And in a good day for sides in the bottom half, second-bottom Syston Town thrashed mid-table Welby by 100 runs at Potter’s Lane.

Deon Burton (89) helped the hosts post a competitive 203 all out batting first before Adam Mortimer (4 for 15) came on at second change to remove top-scorer Andy Johns (44) and help bowl out the visitors for just 103.