Peterborough Town and Burghley Park win a couple of tense T20 semi-finals

Scott Howard finished 55 not out for Peterborough Town against Ufford Park

Both clubs came through tense semi-finals on Monday with Town pipping underdogs Ufford Park by three wickets at Bretton Gate and hosts Burghley Park upsetting favourites Bourne by nine runs in a low scoring game.

Town made hard work of passing Ufford’s modest 20 over score of 118 at a ground which tends to favour batsmen.

But a hugely impressive spell of fast bowling from Hugo Bell (3-25) and some canny slow bowling from Charlie Agnew (2-14) kept the home side in check until Scott Howard finally began to pierce some astute field placings.

Howard was unbeaten on 55 at the close as Town recovered from 49-4 and 76-6 to win with six balls to spare. Captain Kyle Medcalf had given the innings early impetus with a belligerant 25 before he was dismissed the ball after being hit on the helmet by a swift Bell bouncer.

Andy Larkin (32) top scored for Ufford, but their innings tapered away from 80-3 as some clever seam bowling from Kieran Jones ripped through the lower order. Jones used the slower ball to great effect to finish with outstanding of 5-16 from three overs.

Town will start as favourites against Burghley. That won’t worry Park who managed to defend 97 to beat a strong-looking Bourne side.

Caius Headley – the son of England Test star Dean Headley – bagged 3-9 for Burghley and veteran slow bowler Mo Azhar claimed 3-22 after Alex Ashwin had claimed two early wickets.