Saif superb as City CC beat Rutland Division One leaders and an innings of 70 brings Hayat's average down to 147! T20 semi-finals on Monday night

Saif cracked 85 of City’s modest total of 136 as no other batsman reached double figures. He then followed up with a burst of 5-24 with the ball as Newborough crumbled to 92 all out in reply. Danny Malik weighed in with 4-19 as second-placed City closed the gap on the table-toppers to 26 points and they have a game in hand.

Also in Division One Barnack’s Asim Butt continued his outstanding recent form with 70 from just 41 balls at Burghley Park, although it wasn’t enough to stave off a 32-run defeat. Butt had also struck 159 in a Cambs League win over Godmanchester 24 hours earlier to follow scores of 51, 148 and 40 not out in his three previous outings.

Overseas star Peter Ruffell struck 65 from 57 balls and claimed 4-9 for reigning Rutland Division One champions Burghley.

Orton Park maintained top spot in Division Two with a 45-run win at Pak Azad as Sadam Babakarkhil (53) and Oli Caplin (5-34) made strong contributions and in Division Three Tim Juggins (100no) and Alex Birch (76) scored well as Stamford Town thrashed Whittlesey by 125 runs.

Dean Cornish batted throughout Uffington seconds’ innings against Kettering in Division Four. He made 119 of his side’s 293-4 which set up a 193-run win.

Danny Iqbal’s 6-19 was the standout performance as second-placed Bharat Sports beat Adidda by seven wickets in Hunts Division One and Hampton continue to tick along nicely in third after a six-wicket win over Ickwell. Kannan Nandakumar was their star man as he followed a 4-24 bowling spell with an innings of 87 not out.

In Division Two Nassington star Sohail Hayat took his runs tally to 442 in six knocks with 70 in a 77-run win over Elstow seconds, although his average dropped to 147 as a result. Hayat also returned bowling figures of 4-32. Sawtry & Alconbury Weald lead this division after a 96-run win at Sheikh 11. Hayden Bream smacked 114 of the winners’ 329-8.

Harsh Singh Rathore struck an unbeaten 79 as Bharat Sports seconds pipped Hampton seconds by one wicket in Division Three, while Qamar Javed (108) and Saad Ashraf (70) put on 163 for the first Werrington second team wicket as they beat Little Paxton by 145 runs.

T20 SEMI-FINALS

The Stamford Charity Cup semi-finals take place on Monday night (6pm starts). Newborough host Barnack and Oundle Town entertain Pak Azad.

Full cricket round-up in the PT every Thursday.