CRICKET: Captain's innings not enough to seal Skegness victory

Sean Chamberlain is bowled for 68 at Grantham. Photo: Nigel West

Despite Chamberlain’s 68 from 63 balls at a sun-drenched Gorse Lane, the seasiders fell narrowly short and had to settle for seven points.

This leaves them just one place and 15 points above the relegation zone with five games left to play.

Boston, who are one place above Skegness in the table, are next to visit Richmond Drive on Saturday. This is a game both will be eager to win.

On a day dominated by the home sides, Skegness won the toss at Grantham and elected to bat.

Pradeep Chanditha and Dylan Labuschagne gave them a solid start, but both perished in quick succession, the first two of Daniel Freeman’s five wickets.

Forty-seven for two soon became 84 for four with Jamie Epton and Norman Brackley back in the pavilion.

Despite reaching double figures, Saeed Bariwala failed to go on to make a big score and was bowled by Neel Stevenson, which brought Chamberlain to the middle.

He built partnerships with Richie Hewitt, Ray Jordan, Tom Cuthbert and brother Mark Chamberlain with an innings that included nine fours and two sixes.

It would have been fitting for him to have carried his bat and walked off with brother Mark, but half way through the last over he was bowled by Freeman trying to steer the ball to the fine leg boundary.

Freeman begins his next match on a technical hat-trick after dislodging Cole Nelson’s leg stump with the next delivery. He finished with figures of five for 43 off his 13.4 overs as Skegness were all out for 206.

Hopes of a Skegness victory were raised when Jordan removed openers Ross Carnelley and James Dobson.

But Ben Powell and home skipper Daniel Webb had other ideas. They put on 122 for the third wicket, taking their score to 166 for three before Webb was bowled by Jordan.

Matthew Wing lasted just five balls before being caught behind by Chamberlain off Jordan, raising the seasiders’ hopes again.

Jamie Brumby partnered Powell for a useful 25 runs before James Keast and Joe Peck saw them over the line with six balls left.

The pick of the bowlers was Jordan, who finished with figures of five for 62.