​Saif cracked it as City CC hit the top, fine weekends for Newborough and Orton Park

​It was a comfortable win for the hosts at Woodlands after dismissing their visitors for 150.

Danny Iqbal bagged 5-44 for City before a blistering 91 not out from opening batsman Mohammed Saif (91no, 13 fours, 2 sixes) saw his side home in under 25 overs.

Newly-promoted Newborough picked up their first win of the season, by 88 runs at reigning champions Barnack.

Most of the work was done by players who play their club cricket elsewhere on a Saturday as in-form Josh Smith (Market Deeping, 75) and Sam Jarvis (Oundle, 53) added 119 for the first wicket in a team total of 228-5.

Sam Manton gave the innings some impetus (54 from 44 balls) before Joe Mills (4-28) and Jarvis (3-27) helped dismantle Barnack for 140. Barnack didn’t lose a match on their way to the title in 2023.

Werrington were also top-flight winners, by five wickets at Long Sutton. Sufyaan Iqbal (5-26) and Shehzad Akhter (51) were their top performers.

Pak Azad lost for the first time in Division Four East, heavily at CSKA, while Sawtry’s James Wiltshire hit a 90-ball 102, but his side were still beaten in Division Four West by Laxton. Peter Jacobs hit 151 for Wisbech-based CSKA.

Other outstanding Rutland League performances came from Sufyan Mazhar who took 7-19 in Ufford Park’s easy Division Two win over East Carlton and Oliver Calpin who followed a bowling spell of 5-31 with a crucial innings of 40 not out in a five-wicket win over City seconds.

SOUTH LINCS LEAGUE

Burghley Park enjoyed a better Saturday than Sunday as they toppled Championship leaders Sleaford seconds in impressive fashion.

A late thrash from Alex Ashwin (55 from 49 balls) enabled Park to post a challenging 45-over score of 211-6 before overseas star Chris Logan (4-20) bowled well to help complete a 96-run win.

That result enabled Grantham seconds to jump to the top and Moulton Harrox – 10-run winners at Boston – to go second. Burghley are fourth just behind Sleaford, but with a game in hand on all the teams above them.

Newborough started a very positive weekend with a seven-wicket win over Freiston. Ashley Fisher and Shiva Teekasingh each took three wickets as Freiston were skittled for 97.

Harry Richardson took three wickets and Jack Calpin made an unbeaten 56 as Orton Park eased to a nine-wicket Division One win over Heckington to move up to fourth, one place behind Market Deeping seconds who pipped Long Sutton seconds by 23 runs.

Burghley Park seconds are already 25 points clear in Division Two after four straight wins, the latest by 82 runs at Moulton Harrox seconds. The men in form for Park were Simon Sherwin (62 from 47 balls), Jim McIntosh (4-36) and Charlie Biggs (3-18).

Orton Park thirds are setting the early pace in Division Three after securing a comfortable six-wicket win over Freiston seconds.

Dylan Rathour, Gary Barrett and Raman Pasala all took two wickets in as Freiston were restricted to 131-9.

Harry Carter and Cole Stevenson took four wickets apiece for Uffington seconds at Royal Boston seconds, but the villagers failed by 34 runs to chase down a mere 110.