Spa men eye league and T20 double

The Spa men travel to Lincs ECB Premier rivals Boston on Saturday (noon), looking to reclaim third spot and put further pressure on the top two.

This will be followed by Monday’s Winkworth Cup T20 semi-final against Alford at Sleaford CC (1.30pm).

If victorious, they will face the winners of Bourne versus Grantham later in the afternoon, with a place in the regional finals in Nottinghamshire at stake.

Woodhall reached the regional stage in 2014 as county champions, seeing their run ended against a Sheffield Collegiate team including a certain Billy Root.

“He was the difference on the day,” captain Jack Luffman said.

“Those players in the team involved in that day would love to be involved in something similar again.

“But we’d have to get there first.

“We will be confident but Alford’s game is perhaps more suited to T20, so we’ll have to be at our best.

“We’ve got a full squad to pick from, so some decisions will need to be made.”

But first up are ninth-placed Boston at the Mayflower.

Tom Baxter’s side dodged the rain to claim victory over Market Deepinmg at the weekend.

Luffman added: “They were the biggest winners at the weekend, gaining points on everyone else.

“We go in confidence, but they’re a dangerous side.

“In Jonny Cheer they’ve got one of the best, if not the best, amateur batsmen in the league.”

The weather was the only winner on Saturday when both the First XI and Second XI games against Bourne were abandoned just two overs into the second innings.

At Jubilee Park, the Firsts had scored 217-9 from their 50 overs, which was a gutsy effort during an afternoon of no less than three rain breaks and an early tea break.

Pradeeep Chanditha (30) got the home side off to a flyer after skipper Jack Luffman had won the toss and elected to bat first.

Chanditha, along with fellow opener Jack Timby (14), had taken the score to 48 before he lost his wicket.

Spa then suffered a now all-too-familiar collapse losing their next four wickets for just 22 runs.

But, like in previous weeks, the team pulled together and, in the shape of Chris Anderson and Henry Wilson, found a pair of batsman who initially took their time to adapt to conditions before compiling an excellent partnership of 93.

Anderson was the initial aggressor and hit two maximums in his innings of 58 and upon his dismissal Wilson took over the mantle and reached his first half-century at Premier League level.

He would eventually fall for a fine 61, and cameos form Matt Law and Alex King pushed the score beyond the 200 mark.

It was a score Spa were confident of defending and one that Bourne would have to bat well to overcome, but no one will never know as a final heavy storm two overs into the visitors innings put paid to any more cricket.

The Seconds returned to Woodhall frustrated as they had bowled magnificently to bowl the home side out for just 111 at Abbey Lawn, and were 4-0 in reply when the game was curtailed after another heavy storm.

Opening bowlers James White and Sam Cherry started proceedings off nicely with 2-33 and 2-22 respectively, and then spinner Matt Haslam joined in on the act taking 2-19 form seven overs.

However, it was Pete Jackson who was the pick of Spa attack, taking 3-31 including wrapping the innings up form consecutive balls, so he will be on a hat-trick ball next week.

The Second XI entertain their Sleaford counterparts on Saturday, in front of what could be a bumper crowd with the second annual Woodhall Spa Beer and Musical Festival starting at noon.

Sunday saw the weather clear and Adam Barker’s Wanderers Second XI made the trip to take on Caythorpe, returning with 20 well-earned points.

Bowling first, the Spa attack bowled the home side out for 148.

John Temperton was in fine form, taking two wickets in each of his spells to finish with four wickets, and James White accounted for a further one to fall.

However, the highlight was seeing three of Spa’s new young stars share the remaining wickets around.

Dewi Bourke claimed two, Tom Ashford a first at senior level and Oliver Hasuermann, making his senior debut, bowled 10 tidy overs of off-spin taking 2-40 and looks to be another who has a bright future.

The younger element again took to the fore in the run chase with opener Ollie Caswell carrying his bat through for an unbeaten 30, and his fifth wicket partnership with Alex Hodson took the Spa side to victory.

Earlier in the piece, skipper Barker played an aggressive innings of 42 to give the innings some momentum, but he was again delighted to see the younger element of the side star again.

Wanderers Seconds entertain Sleaford Academy on Sunday.