National glory beckons as Oundle Town's terrific T20 campaign continues, captain stars as Peterborough Town shock leaders, Super Sam's stunning ton for Bourne

Calvin Bird of Long Sutton is bowled by Marcus Telford of Market Deeping. Photo David Lowndes.

Oundle Town’s terrific T20 season continued with a stunning success on Area Finals Day at Bury St Edmunds.

Oundle beat Harpenden by three wickets in a cracking final after cruising past a depleted Sawston & Barbraham team by 71 runs in their semi-final.

The Northants League team will now contest a Regional Finals Day on August 25 at North Hants and Basingstoke CC when their opponents will be Bristol, Preston Nomads (Sussex) and Hayes. There are only eight teams left in the National competition.

Former skipper Tommy Simeons was the star of the final as Oundle recovered from 81-5 and 132-7 in pursuit of 163-7. They reached the final over requiring 14 to win and Simeons reduced that to one off the final ball which he promptly smacked for four.

Marcus Telford bowling for Market Deeping against Long Sutton. Photo David Lowndes.

Simeons finished unbeaten on 28 after brisk early knocks from Conor Craig (36, from 22 balls) and Chris Logan (31, 19 balls). Logan was borrowed for the day from Burghley Park.

Key Oundle man Harrison Craig was absent as he was playing for Cambs in their 59-run NCCA Trophy semi-final defeat at Norfolk, but he was joined by a handful of Sawston & Babraham players which made the T20 semi-final a little easier.

Conor Craig hit 61 from 40 balls in that game with Logan adding 38 (26 balls) and Dan Costello blasting 32 from just 14 balls as Oundle piled up 187-6.

Dave Foster then returned outstanding T20 figures of 5-18 from four overs as Sawston & Babraham were dismissed for 116. Fellow slow bowler Will Park picked up 3-18.

Hayatullah Niazi bowling for Market Deeping against Long Sutton. Photo David Lowndes.

NORTHANTS LEAGUE

Oundle’s weekend had also started superbly as their handsome 108-run win at Kislingbury Temperance coupled with Peterborough Town’s five-wicket success at leaders Finedon made the Premier Division title race much more interesting.

Pat Harrington’s 109 was the star turn of Oundle’s 308 all out before unheralded seamer Will Compton effectively ended the game by dismissing Northants first-class player Emilio Gay for 20.

Captain Nick Green was the undoubted star of Town’s win at Finedon. He claimed 4-25 as the hosts were dismissed for 182 and then finished unbeaten on a run-a-ball 80 as his team recovered from 50-3.

Town had earlier let Finedon off the hook as the reigning champions had been 24-5 and 95-8. Lewis Bruce (3-31) had also bowled well for Town.

Finedon are still 20 points clear of second-placed Oundle, with Town a further five points back in third.

Town are at Desborough on Saturday when Oundle host Wollaston (11am).

LINCS PREMIER

Bourne pulled off a remarkable nine-wicket win over reigning Lincs Premier Division champions Lindum at the Abbey Lawn.

Lindum had started the day top-of-the-table and posted a respectable 208-6 in 41 overs after recovering from 32-4.

But Bourne openers Sam Evison and captain Jack Berry promptly flayed the visiting attack to all parts in a brutal opening stand of 132.

Berry fell for 60 from 46 balls (seven fours, three sixes) but Evison’s rampage continued as he finished unbeaten on 127 from 65 balls, hitting eight sixes and 14 fours!

Market Deeping beat bottom club Long Sutton by three wickets in a high-scoring game at Outgang Road. Dan George (67no) and Vaughn Williams (34no) saw Deeping to their victory target of 257 with an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 88. Josh Smith had earlier cracked 64.

Spalding were beaten at Grantham.