MESSINGHAM and Caistor will return next season to the premier division of the Lincolnshire League.

They have been relegated from the Lincs ECB competition after finishing in the bottom two places.

They will be replaced at ECB level by Lincs 2009 champions Hartsholme and South Lincs champions Boston.

It leaves the Scunthorpe area without a representative at ECB level for the first time.

Hartsholme dominated this summer as the Lincs League enjoyed one of it's most interesting seasons in the competition's 46-year history.

Excellent cricketing fare served up by the teams was boosted by generous helpings of fine weekend weather which saw surprisingly few matches totally washed out.

Promotion and relegation issues continued well into the final weeks of the season in most sections – and in division four until the very last day.

Hartsholme did the double by winning the premier division championship pennant and also lifting the George Marshall Cup.

Runners-up were Haxey who came agonisingly close to clinching the championship and setting up a return to the Lincs ECB Premier from where they were relegated 12 months ago.

The Isle of Axholme villagers can still look back on a very successful season. Sri Lankan Chin Perera and Nic Bisby headed the top flight bowling averages and also made the batting charts.

Alkborough were very much in the hunt for the title until late into the season, but a loss of form saw Steve Clay's side finished sixth, lower than many expected in an admittedly very tight division.

John Knapton finished just short of 800 runs for the season, while big-hitting James Barker, Craig Ross and skipper Clay also did well with the bat.

Newly-promoted South Kelsey proved the surprise package in the top flight, finishing fourth.

Sri Lankan Chandi Wathukarage was the leading batsman in the premier division with 925 runs, while Shaun Kirwin – a veteran slow-medium bowler not so long ago in division five – bagged 34 wickets.

Fellow promoted side Barton Town just managed to survive in the top flight, recovering from a poor start to the season.

But there was disappointment for Broughton who face having to rebuild next season in division one after finishing bottom of the table.

Scunthorpe Town are heading back into the top flight after finishing runners-up to Cleethorpes 3rds. Heslam Park has passed a ground inspection.

Seamer Ramesh Chand (55 wickets) emerged as the division's top-ranked bowler by some considerable distance, and he and Ian Snowden made the batting averages.

App-Frod 3rds put together a great late run that almost snatched second spot.

Veteran bowler Mick Powell continues to defy the advancing years, as does batsman Paul Taylor. However, the club will be more pleased to see Ben Taylor, Kieran Watson and Rob Day, of the younger age group, alongside them in the league averages.

With Clee 3rds unable to be promoted, with their 2nds already in the top flight, the Steelmen will hope to be voted up in the second promotion position at the league AGM later this month.

There was disappointment for Alkborough 2nds who have been relegated. They failed to transfer their form which saw them runners-up in thew Bob Welton Trophy, into their league games.

In division two, Messingham 2nds looked good bets for a quick return to division one during the first half of the season, but suffered a loss of form towards the end – despite the batting contributions of Andy Cook and the bowling efforts of Dave Langford.

The Scunthorpe area filled the two promotion places in division three.

Outcasts 2nds finished champions, much to the delight of veteran skipper Ian Fletcher as his side just pipped Haxey for the title.

Jamie Belton was the undoubted batting star with almost 600 runs, but it was a fine all-round team effort with experienced and youthful contributors to the cause. Skipper Fletch took most wickets (23).

Gary Mann's Haxey team were disappointed to miss out on the championship pennant on the final Saturday of the season. James Needham, Graham Skelton and Steve Ryan qualified for the divisional batting list, with Paul Bradley leading division three bowler of the season and Mark Parkin and Paul Johnson not far behind. Scott Barlow was the division's No 1 man behind the stumps.

In division four, Brigg Town lost a number of close games and only just managed to avoid the re-election zone.

Batting was their strength, with Dave Kilgallon, Dylan Hildreth, skipper Lee Fielden and Gary Smith among the basement section's most consistent scorers.

Scunthorpe Town 3rds took the wooden spoon for the second successive season despite some fine bowling by veteran Fred Bacchus and young spinner Josh Pashley.