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

Peterborough Town will tackle Burghley Park in the final of the Stamford Shield T20 competition at Newborough CC on Monday, June 27.

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.