Evergreen seamer and in-form batsman rescue Peterborough Town's weekend, but double despair for Oundle Town
Oundle Town were knocked off the top of the Northants Premier Division and knocked out of the ECB Club KO competition in a severely frustrating weekend.
Oundle went down by eight wickets at reigning champions Finedon CC to spoil a perfect start to the top-flight season.
And they went down by eight wickets again at the hands of powerful Essex Premier League side Buckhurst Hill in the ECB Cup at Milton Road the following day.
Oundle mustered just 161 at the Northants League’s prettiest ground and they only managed that many because of import Waseem Akram Junior’s hard-hitting 60 from 49 balls (five fours, four sixes).
Akram Junior has been signed to give Oundle’s bowling attack more potency at the start of an innings, but a niggle has stopped him turning his arm over in two of the three games so far this season.
Without having to face a pro Finedon breezed home in just 32 overs with Northants Academy prospect Jordan Strydom cracking an unbeaten 74 from just 56 balls (10 fours, four sixes).
Oundle also suffered 24 hours later. The home side’s batting was steady, but no-one could keep going once started. Opener Bill Amas (32) and tail-ender Prim Patel (30) were the only men to reach 30 in a team total of 191.
And the result was never in doubt against an aggressive Buckhurst Hill batting line-up with the visitors securing victory in 31 of the allotted 40 overs.
Oundle will hope to do what Peterborough Town couldn’t do and beat Desborough in a Northants Premier Division game on Saturday. The action starts at Milton Road at 11am.
Oundle will start that game in fourth, but they are just six points off top spot. Desborough are third.
Tom Costello smacked 134 for Oundle thirds in a 94-run at Horton House thirds in Division 10.
Selected results, individual highlights and tables on page 80.