Peterborough Town sealed their third successive Rutland League Division One title with a 77-run win over nearest rivals Bourne today (September 9).
The match was effectively a winner-takes-all affair and Town were in control for pretty much the entire afternoon despite losing opener Chris Milner to the second ball of the match.
Ashley Rodgers (67) and Callum French (36) repaired the innings and Town eventually closed on 197-7 in their 45 overs. Colin Cheer and Charlie Hopkins picked up three wickets apiece for Bourne.
Bourne’s run-chase started disastrously with star men Conrad Louth and Pete Morgan falling cheaply to Town skipper Bashrat Hussain. Bourne were soon 27-4 and only a fifth-wicket stand of 75 between Ben Stroud (42) and Carl Wilson (31) caused any concern within the ranks of the champions.
See PHOTO GALLERY from the match plus team photos, link on right
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Jamie Smith returned to dismiss both of them and, as darkness quickly eneveloped Bretton Gate, teenage off-spinner Rob Sayer wrapped up the tail.
Fittingly Hussain, a popular leader of a young side, took the title-clinching catch. He also returned outstanding figures of 3-10 from 10 overs.
Stamford gave themselves a chance of beating the drop with a 57-run win over Oundle with skipper Andy Hulme cracking 68 and Liam Dave returning figures of 3-0 in just one over. Alex Martin, who is normally a wicket-keeper, took 5-11 in less than five overs for Oundle before Stamford successfully defended a modest score of 161.
Stamford have now pushed Uppingham into the relegation zone with just one match of the season remaining.
Finedon beat Barnack comfortably by four wickets in the only other top-flight match to take place.
Scores
PETERBOROUGH TOWN 197-7 (A. Rodgers 67, C. French 36, R. Sayer 26, C. Hopkins 3-31, C. Cheer 3-57) beat BOURNE 120 (B. Stroud 42, C. Wilson 31, B. Hussain 3-10, R. Sayer 3-10) by 77 runs
STAMFORD 161 (A. Hulme 68, A. Martin 5-11) beat OUNDLE 104 (A. Birch 3-34, L. Dave 3-0) by 57 runs
BARNACK 190-9 (A. Akhtar 47, M. Tayub 43) lost to FINEDON 194-6 (G. Hoffbauer 50, M. Shahid 3-46) by 4 wkts
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