Plucky Peterborough Town eventually overpowered in first national round of ECB Club T20 Cup

​The hosts are riding high in the Leicestershire Premier League and fielded two recent first-class cricket regulars in Nathan Buck (Northants) and Dieter Klein (Leicestershire) who formed part of a speedy four-pronged seam attack.

Town T20 skipper Nick Green blasted 33 from 17 balls at the top of the order, but the rest of the batting was kept in check until Sulemain Saleem took advantage of a drop in bowling pace to crack 41 from 29 balls (3 sixes) as the city side posted 140-9.

Key batsmen David Clarke and Alex Mitchell were missing from the Town side.

Town, the Northants T20 champions, also started well with the ball, reducing Rothley to 23-3, but a small ground didn’t suit the three spinners in their attack and the home side recovered strongly.

Lewis Bruce, Dan Costello and Saleem took excellent catches as Rothley stumbled again to 99-6, but Klein, a current German international, smacked his first ball for six and won the game with back-to-back maximums at the start of the 19th over.

Crucially Klein had been dropped on the boundary after Saleem lost his footing when 18 runs were still required. Equally crucially the excellent, and hostile, Green (3-12) only bowled three overs.

The entire Northants League programme was among a complete Saturday cricket washout in the area, including the big game between Premier Division title challengers Finedon and Oundle.

Second-placed Oundle are at home to leaders Brigstock on Saturday (11am) in a battle between two surprise contenders for top spot.

Town, who are fourth and too far back to become involved in the title race, are at home to Overstone Park.

Town’s Rutland Division One side beat Werrington by 45 runs at Campbell Drive.

But the club’s second team were beaten by 103 runs in Division Four by Orton Park. Jack Calpin scored a ton in Orton’s 195-6.