It’s the Smith show as Peterborough Town race back to the top, Bourne bounce back, but Market Deeping beaten by bottom club, Alfie’s first 50 can’t save Castor, Ramsey taken apart by West Indian all-rounder

As Town were beating overight leaders Geddington by eight wickets at Bretton Gate, the team who started the day in second place, Finedon, were losing by one wicket to a Brigstock team full of Town old boys.

It was the Josh Smith show at Bretton Gate as he cracked his first ton of the season to go past 500 Premier League runs for the summer.

Smith finished on 117 not out as Town passed Geddington’s 226-6 with 11 overs to spare. Skipper David Clarke (53) joined Smith for a second wicket stand of 130 after Smith and Chris Milner (42) had opened up with a stand of 79

Smith now has 507 runs in nine Premier Division innings at an average of 64 and a strike rate of 97.

Earlier Town had fought back from a sloppy start to restrict their visitors to a modest total given another run-laden batting track at the Gate. Mark Edwards (3-49), who missed the start of the innings after playing golf badly in the Ramsey Club Championships, proved much more accurate with the cricket ball.

A last-wicket stand of 27 between Dan Costello and Primesh Patel saw Oundle clinch a thrilling one wicket win at Old Northamptonians after the hosts had set a testing victory target of 212.

Bourne bounced back from a first Lincs Premier Division defeat of the season to beat Boston by four wickets at the Abbey Lawns. Sam Evison (73), Jack Berry (5-45) and Brandon Diplock (4-28) were the stars for the table-toppers. Market Deeping became the first team to lose to bottom club Woodhall Spa, by 16 runs in a high-scoring contest. Connor Gillett scored 60 of Deeping’s 245-8, while Sam Malton finished unbeaten on 45.

Alfie Armstrong’s first senior 50 couldn’t save Castor from an 11-run defeat at home to Foxton seconds in Cambs Division Two. Ufford Park toppled high flying Saffron Walden second by three wickets in a low scoring game.

In Division One Ramsey fell foul of Foxton’s West Indian import Tade Carmichael who followed an innings of 148 with a 7-43 spell. Brandon Phillips cracked an unbeaten ton as March beat St Ives and Warboys easily.

Wisbech crushed Stamford Town by nine wickets to keep hold of a play-off place.

Northants Premier Division

Oundle Town 215-9 (T. Simeons 37, T. Norman 33) beat Old Northamptonians 11-9 (R. Kaufman 80no, R. White 77, C. Craig 2-37, T. Simeons 2-38, D. Costello 2-61) by 1 wkt

Peterborough Town 228-2 (J. Smith 117no, D. Clarke 53, C. Milner 42) beat Geddington 226-8 (A. Reynoldson 74no, M. Edwards 3-49) by 8 wkts

Lincs Premier Division

Bourne 190-6 (S. Evison 73, J. Temple 47) beat Boston 187 (J. Gilbert 68, J. Berry 5-45, B. Diplock 4-28) by 4 wkts

Woodhall Spa 261-7 (O. Caswell 75, J. Parmar 66no, J. Smith 3-45) beat Market Deeping 245-8 (C. Gillett 60, S. Malton 45no) by 16 runs..

Cambs Division One

Foxton 309-6 (T. Carmichael 148, B. Saunders 2-26, J. Cafferkey 2-63) beat Ramsey 181 (E. Cafferkey 73, T. Carmichael 7-43) by 128 runs.

March Town 297-7 (B. Phillips 106, R. Pitigala 41) beat St Ives & Warboys 131 (J. Haycock 51, S. Rajaguru 4-29, J. Harradine 2-18, S. Pooley 2-30, R. Clarke 2-37) by 156 runs

Wisbech Town 93-1 (G. Freear 46, D. Haynes 36no) beat Stamford Town 89 (A. Palmer 315, G. Gowler 2-37) by 9 wkts

Cambs Division Two

Foxton 2nds 181-8 (N. Gadsby 65, R. Evans 3-8, S. Dockerill 2-50) beat Castor 170 (A. Armstrong 53nom R. Smith 35, M. Daniels 5-29) by 11 runs.

Ufford Park 99-7 (T, Hussain 23no) beat Saffron Walden 2nds 98 (J. Harrington 3-25, T. Hussain 2-13, F. Adil 2-14, M. Stephenson 2-23) by 3 wkts.