BOURNE maintained their excellent start to the Readers Lincs ECB Premier League season with a comfortable win over promoted Haxey on Saturday.

An unbeaten 52 from opener Chris Bamber guided them to victory with 9.4 overs to spare.

But an excellent bowling performance had restricted Haxey to just 133-9 from their 50 overs.

Bourne skipper David Christmas said: "Our bowling was excellent and it's always good to see an opening batsmen guide us to victory.

"Our win was pretty comprehensive and at this stage of the season it's important to keep winning."

It was Christmas himself who struck early, removing Oliver Tonks and Tom Wraith for the loss of just 22 runs.

And when Mark Dixon had Sanjaya Rodrigo caught for 27, the wickets began to fall.

Only Simon Wild (33 from 92 balls) offered any real resistance as Ben Stroud (2-24), Charlie Hopkins (3-49), Christmas (2-15) and Dixon (2-21) excelled.

Bourne's reply started brightly with Bamber and Stroud putting on 33 before the latter was dismissed on 17.

Owen Smith then fell for a third-ball duck to leave Bourne on 33-2.

Professional player Mark Fotheringham (37), fresh off the back of a debut century, looked in good nick before being clean bowled by Mark Atkins with the score on 86-3.

But Will Epsom (21 from 29 balls) helped Bamber, who plundered two sixes and three fours, ease Bourne home.

HAXEY 1st

O Tonks c Smith b Christmas 2
S Rodrigo c Smith b Dixon 27
T Wraith c&b Christmas 3
S Wild b Hopkins 33
T Scott c&b Stroud 0
T Sharpe c&b Stroud 4
M Fowler c Epsom b Dixon 0
J Scott c Fotheringham b Hopkins 18
M Atkins b Hopkins 0
P Johnson not out 17
(Unknown) not out 8

Extras (2b, 4lb, 9w, 6nb ) 21
Total (9 wickets, 50 overs) 133

Bowling: Hopkins 17-1-49-3; Christmas 7-2-15-2; Dixon 10-3-21-2; Stroud 12-2-24-2; B Xipu 4-0-18-0.

BOURNE 1st

C Bamber not out 52
B Stroud c Wraith b Scott 17
O Smith lbw b Scott 0
M Fotheringham b Atkins 37
W Epsom not out 21

Extras (2lb, 6w) 8
Total (3 wickets, 40.2 overs) 135

Bowling: Scott 3-0-8-0; Sharpe 4-1-12-0; Johnson 6-2-25-0; Scott 8.2-2-25-2; Fowler 9-2-35-0; Atkins 10-1-28-1.

Bourne host Messingham tomorrow (noon) at the Abbey Lawn.