Peterborough Town Cricket Club’s perfect season of two title wins

Peterborough Town Cricket Club have completed the perfect season.
Peterborough Town players with the Northants Premier Division Cup. Photo: David Lowndes.Peterborough Town players with the Northants Premier Division Cup. Photo: David Lowndes.
Peterborough Town players with the Northants Premier Division Cup. Photo: David Lowndes.

The all-conquering city side won the Northants Premier Division play-off final against Old Northamptonians by 32 runs at Bretton Gate last Saturday (September 19) - an eighth win in eight matches in the competition - to claaim the county title for the second year in a row.

And the following day Town crushed Oundle Town by 149 runs in Rutland Division One to retain that title after winning all six of their completed matches.

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In total Town completed 14 first-team matches in a truncated season and won them all to the delight of club captain David Clarke.

Peterborough Town captain David Clarke receives the Northants Premier Division Cup from David Hartley, chairman of the Northants League. Photo: David Lowndes.Peterborough Town captain David Clarke receives the Northants Premier Division Cup from David Hartley, chairman of the Northants League. Photo: David Lowndes.
Peterborough Town captain David Clarke receives the Northants Premier Division Cup from David Hartley, chairman of the Northants League. Photo: David Lowndes.

“It was a great weekend to cap a great season for the club,” Clarke said.

“We’ve played some great cricket and only once (against Old Northamptonians in the league) did we look like we might lose.

“We didn’t play for the Northants League title, but there was still a cup to be won and we wanted to win in.

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“It was a great final between two strong sides and we just got enough runs on the board to be able to defend them.”

Josh Smith’s run-a-ball 62 pushed Town to 199-4 in their 40 overs. ONs started well, but seamer Mohammed Danyaal claimed the big scalps of England Youth international Amit Basra and ex-Northants all-rounder Rob White to give Town the upper hand.

And once teenager Sulemain Saleem had ended a breezy 55-run sixth-wicket stand with a terrific run out the visitors slumped to 167 all out.

Danyaal finished with excelent figures of 4-26 from seven overs while off-spinners Josh Smith and Lewis Bruce both picked up two wickets. Bruce also ended the Town innings on 33 not out.

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Scores: Peterborough Town 199-4 (Josh Smith 62, C. Milner 36, L. Bruce 33no, S. Jarvis 27no, D. Clarke 21), Old Northamptonians 167 (M. Danyaal 4-26, Josh Smith 2-27, L. Bruce 2-36).

Captain Alex Mitchell (50), Saleem (47) and Kyle Medcalf (47) all batted well as Town piled up 271-7 against Oundle. Conor Parnell then bagged a hat-trick on his way to figures of 3-18 as Oundle were dismissed for 126. Jamie Smith (3-12) and Nadir Haider (2-36) also bowled well for Town.

Beating Oundle wasn’t enough for Town to seal the title. They also required Market Deeping to beat title rivals King’s Keys at Outgang Road which they did thanks to a superb 139 from Nick Green.

Keys had set an imposing 40-over target of 250-7 thanks to 90 from Usman Sadiq, but Green’s brilliance ensured Deeping got home with 10 balls and six wickets to spare.