Bruce Almighty as Peterborough Town take back control of the Northants Premier Division title race, Bourne a win from the Lincs Premier Division crown, Wisbech in the Cambs League play-offs, Ramsey survive

Town edged a magnificent contest on a playing surface that tested the technique of two talented, and very deep, batting line-ups.

The city side recovered from 34-3 to post a challenging 181-8 in their 50 overs and looked set for a comfortable win when off-spinner Lewis Bruce claimed the last of his five victims (four lbws) to leave Finedon tottering at 105-8. A rain delay had reduced the home side’s target to 176 in 47 overs.

But Vikram Sohail launched a fabulous counter attack hitting three sixes in one KP Singh over and five in total to leave his side requiring just 21 from the final three overs.

Finedon were now favourites, but the game turned again when Singh gained personal revenge by running Sohail out and with 11 then needed from the final over Sulemain Saleem took a superb running catch off the first ball to end the match. Josh Smith was the bowler.

Saleem (43) top scored in the Town innings which also featured a fine innings of 40 from man-of-the-match Bruce and a well struck 28 from Nick Paskins who later went off with a concussion injury after taking a ball to the head while fielding at short leg.

It was a great win for Town whose unbeaten Premier Division run now stretches to 23 months, but they are far from home and hosed.

Town are 14 points ahead of Finedon with four games to go, but one slip up, or another Covid call-off, could prove costly. It would help if seamer Mark Edwards continues the miserly form of yesterday. He opened up at one end and bowled eight overs in a row without conceding a single run off the bat. He finished with figures of 2-7 from 10 overs with four of the runs he conceded arriving from leg side wides.

Town’s game at rock bottom Brixworth on Saturday was abandoned at half-time with the hosts having totalled a respectable 209-8. Finedon were also abandoned at Oundle having piled up 340-5 in their 50 overs, Oundle were 110-3 when play was abandoned.

Leaders Bourne’s scheduled Lincs Premier Division match at Scunthorpe was cancelled before a ball was bowled, but with second-placed Grantham losing to Lindum, Courtney Kruger’s team just need one win from their final two matches to be crowned champions. Bourne host bottom club Woodhall Spa this Saturday (August 28).

Rain washed out most of the Cambs League action, but Wisbech Town have reached the Division One play-offs and will travel to regular season top dogs Eaton Socon in a semi-final next Saturday. Histon host Foxton in the other semi-final.

Ramsey made sure of their Division One status for next season by beating relegated St Ives and Warboys in their final game.

Ufford Park also managed to finish their Division Two fixture, winning by 41 runs at Waresley. In-form Joe Harrington (75), Henry Stephenson (67) and Tom Cooper (57) all scored well in a team total of 269-7.

RESULTS

Northants Premier Division

Peterborough Town 181-8 (S. Saleem 43, L. Bruce 40, N. Paskins 29) beat Finedon 166 (V. Sohail 66, L. Bruce 5-28, M. Edwards 10-6-7-2) by 10 runs. Revised target.

Brixworth 209-8 (K. Singh 3-63, Jamie Smith 2-36, M. Edwards 2-52) v Peterborough Town abandoned

Finedon 340-5 (D. Foster 3-48) v Oundle 110-3 (H. Craig 43no, C. Craig 39),

Lincs Premier Division

Boston 271-8 (J. Cheer 130, S. Amir 3-35, H. Niazi 2-56) v Market Deeping 41-2 abandoned

Scunthorpe v Bourne Cancelled.

Cambs Division One

Eaton Socon 293-5 (J. Carpenter 108, T. Banks 105, V. Parvathaneni 2-41) v Stamford 30-3 abandoned

Ramsey 239-3 (B. Saunders 54no, K. Judd 51, E. Cafferkey 34no, J. Cafferkey 34) beat St Ives & Warboys 175-9 (J. Haycock 67, J. Cafferkey 3-32, S. Vallance 3-38) by 26 runs. Revised target

Wisbech 154-4 (G. Freear 43, J. Williams 33no, J. Garner 33no) v March abandoned.

Division Two

Blunham 238-4 (S. Dockerill 2-33, R. Porter 2-38) v Castor abandoned

Ufford Park 269-7 (J. Harrington 75, H. Stephenson 67, T. Cooper 57) beat Waresley 228-7 (T. Hussain 2-41, F. Adil 2-42) by 41 runs.