Tillison propels Town to a final-day victory

GRIMSBY Town CC rounded off their Lincolnshire ECB Premier League season with a narrow one-wicket victory against Nettleham.

Nettleham skipper Russ Binnington, having seen his batsmen struggle against Grimsby's bowling, came in at number eight to hit 43.

His effort helped his side to 151, before the final wicket fell.

Gary Tillison took five wickets, but this was then matched by Australian James McKay, who made life difficult for Grimsby after they had comfortably reached 83 for two.

The next four wickets fell for just 11 runs but Tillison came to the rescue with an unbeaten 27, in which he hit four fours, to see his side home to a slender victory.

Matt Rutherford took five wickets in Lindum's victory at Caistor.

Ever-improving 18-year-old Alex Hornsby took his total runs for 2009 to 763, with an innings of 80, while Pierce Morley-Barnes hit 57, which helped Lindum to 275 for nine.

Rutherford and Karanjit Bansal then took five wickets each to bowl Caistor out for 151.

This left Caistor with six points, which proved sufficient to keep them off the bottom of the table after Messingham drew with Louth, but only gained seven.

Nuwan Shiroman returns to Sri Lanka with more than 600 runs under his belt, after hitting 93, as Louth notched up 301 for five.

But Messingham's young team discovered their own batting form, ending on 216 for seven.

Elsewhere, in his first season as captain of Sleaford, Oliver Burford ensured that his team ended the summer with a flourish.

Burford, the former Grimsby Town CC man, saved the best until last, hitting the highest individual total of 2009 – 171 not out away at Bourne.

In partnership with 19-year-old Alex Sears, the county wicketkeeper put on 226 for the fifth wicket, smashing the previous record, set in 2003 by Steve Warman and Rob Cook of Bracebridge Heath, by 61 runs.

Sears made 75 in the stand that rescued Sleaford, who were 44 for four when Burford came to the crease and 309 for five when the innings closed.

Bourne's reply got off to a bad start with a run out and a wicket for Sam Burrows and the home side never recovered, Jonathan Miller taking the final three wickets for three runs off 13 balls to end the innings on 117 – Ben Stroud top scoring with 42 – and leave his side in a creditable fourth place in the table.

Skegness hung on to second place after a last-over victory at home to Market Deeping, a task made more difficult by a hat-trick from Nick Cowley.

Deeping skipper David Gillett just missed out his century, finishing unbeaten on 96 as his side reached 239 for seven, Tom Andrews contributing 57.

Saeed Bariwala opened with 56 but it was the dependable Paul Butler, unbeaten on 57, who saw Skegness to victory with just four balls to spare.

Bracebridge Heath scored their 13th win of the season when they beat Woodhall Spa at Jubilee Park, Brett Houston making 85 and Aaron Onyon hitting 59 and taking five wickets.

In reply, Woodhall were out for 161. Andrew Crook failed to beat the record run total after he was out for eight.

Onyon's five wickets put him on 61 for the season.