They were scuppered by the weather at Sleaford on Sunday and have now had four of their nine matches this season abandoned.

Title rivals Moulton Harrox beat Welby by 70 runs at home on Saturday and the difference between the two is now just 0.57 per cent.

Laurence Rayner hit 48 runs as Moulton made 157 all out.

Skipper Gary Bates was unhappy with that total against struggling visitors, but Colin Saville (4-21) and Lee Atkin (3-17) helped to dismiss Welby for just 87.

Twenty four hours later Sleaford Sunday made 148-8 from a reduced amount of 36 overs – cut due to an hour's play lost at the start – but the rain returned and Spalding did not get to bat.

Andy Casswell had taken 3-51 and Jamie Juckes got a brace of wickets. Chris Page and Simon Juckes claimed a wicket apiece.

There was also a run-out by wicket-keeper and captain Richard Arnold, who said: "Hopefully we will get a game this weekend as it's rather frustrating at the moment."

Spalding are due to host Welby on Saturday while Moulton Harrox have a weekend off.

Billingborough have emerged as a main contender for the Division One title following their win over former leaders Boston.

The village side inflicted a 111-run defeat on Boston, Jon Lamyman taking 6-27 after David Gollop had hit 51 in Billingborough's innings of 188-9.

Long Sutton 1st consolidated their fourth place with a four-wicket victory over lowly Woodhall Spa 2nd.

Cliff Spinks made a half century in Bourne 2nd's nine-wicket defeat of Caythorpe and Sleaford added to bottom team Market Deeping 2nd's woes by claiming a five-wicket win.

Paul Menzies hit the league's only century of the day, making an unbeaten 104 in a welcome win for Boston 2nd, currently bottom of Division Two, over fellow strugglers Ropsley.

In Division Three, Long Sutton 2nd opened a gap over the bottom two with a seven-wicket win against Grantham 2nd, for whom Dominic Priestley made the division's top score of 64 not out.

Lincs ECB Premeir League: Lindum increased the gap over the three teams below them by beating Bourne in a match reduced to a total of 88 overs.

Chris Bamber hit 66 for Bourne in their 152-7, while Karanjit Bansal claimed 5-28 for Lindum.

An unbeaten 52 from Alex Hornsby then saw the home side to a five-wicket victory.

Market Deeping continue to go well in third place after a winning draw at Sleaford in a 48 overs-a-side match.

Tom Andrews hit 59 of Deeping's 186-7, while Sleaford replied with 164-8.