Craig shows his class as Northants make a triumphant return to Town with 'Showcase' success

​The first-class county made their first appearance in the city since 1974 to tackle the Cambridgeshire Minor Counties team at Bretton Gate, the impressive home of Peterborough Town CC.

The 50-over fixture was a so-called ‘showcase’ game designed to give Northants some practice ahead of the first-class one-day competition and to give Minor County players the chance to play against full-time professionals.

Rain intervened to stop the match reaching a natural conclusion, but enough cricket had been played to award victory to Northants by 51 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Cambs performed well in the field to dismiss Northants for 223 in 47.3 overs, but they were soon reduced to 49-7 before rallying to 166-9.

Oundle Town’s left-arm spinner Harrison Craig bowled well to return figures of 3-42 and he also batted well at the death to reach 15 not out.

To complete a great individual day Craig also executed a brilliant run out and took a superb catch!

City-based former Stamford School student Mohammad Danyaal scored 28 batting at number nine and bowled five overs for 31, while Peterborough Town’s Nick Green was dismissed for a duck and bowled four overs for 28.

Former Peterborough Town player Hassan Azad opened the batting for Northants and made 16.

The Bretton Gate ground is now regarded as one of the best in the county and they have been awarded a host of big games this summer as a result.

The Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) England Legends team played a T20 match there last Friday in a fund-raiser for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

A crowd of over 500 attended that match.

Cambs are back at Bretton Gate for a three-day match in the NCCA Championship against Cumbria between Sunday August 20 and Tuesday August 22.

Northants return to the venue for a four-day 2nd XI match v Sussex 2nds between Monday, September 4 and Thursday, September 7.