by four wickets

JAMIE Juckes excelled with bat and ball as Spalding Town cruised to a four-wicket victory over Oakham 2nd at Memorial Field on Saturday.

The all-rounder took 3-32 as the visitors were skittled out for a laboured 138 from 42.3 overs.

He then laid siege to the bowling attack, cracking five sixes and five boundaries in a bludgeoning 66.

The knock helped Spalding to their target with 12 overs to spare, and kept the defending champions second in the South Lincs and Border League Division Two table.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Spalding had Oakham reeling at 6-3, Chris Page (3-40) taking two of the wickets.

Skipper Andi Ainscough soon followed, Page clean bowling him for 8 with the score on 26.

Graham Cooper (49) steadied the ship but fell one run short of his half century as he became of of Simon Juckes' three victims.

Spalding made a stuttering start to their reply with Simon Juckes (10), Mick East (11) and Matt Hendry (2) all dismissed to leave the score on 35-3.

Jamie Juckes' blistering innings was tempered by a sensible knock from Lee Eyett (18) and despite a flurry of three late wickets, their 68-run partnership was ultimately decisive.

Oakham 2nd

M Edge c Eyett b J Juckes...........................2

Unknown c Hendry b Page..........................1

G Cooper c Eyett b S Juckes......................49

L Green b Page............................................0

A Ainscough b Page.....................................8

M Osman b Casswell..................................10

O Cheverton b J Juckes.............................43

R Kerr c&b S Juckes....................................9

I Marsh c Johns b S Juckes.........................1

D Kennedy c Johns b J Juckes.....................5

O Ainscough not out....................................0

Extras (3b, 3lb, 1w, 3nb) 10

Total (all out, 42.3 overs) 138

Bowling: J Juckes 10-3-2-32; Page 11-0-40-3; Casswell 11-1-39-1; S Juckes 10-5-21-3.

Spalding Town 1st

M East b Green..........................................11

S Juckes b O Ainscough............................10

L Eyett b Green.......................................18

M Hendry c Cooper b Green........................2

J Juckes c Marsh b Kerr............................66

S Johns c Cheverton b Kerr.......................12

T Stray not out............................................4

G Burgess not out.......................................0

Extras (4b, 6lb, 6w) 16

Total (6 wickets, 32 overs) 139

Bowling: O Ainscough 7-0-22-1; Green 12-2-33-3; A Ainscough 3-0-24-0; Osman 2-0-19-0; Kennedy 4-0-16-0; Kerr 4-0-20-2.

It was a vastly different story for Spalding Town 2nd, who were bowled out for just 23 in Division Three.