Town keep the Rutland title race alive

Lewis Bruce was in magnificent all-round form as Peterborough Town beat Uppingham.

Town sent a strong side and won at a canter once they’d reined in a rapid start by Uppingham openers Jamie Dumford and Martin Bennett. They went into overdrive as Uppingham set out after Town’s 201-5, but once they fell the home side collapsed to 143 all-out.

Man-of-the-match was Town’s Lewis Bruce who made 68 and then took 6-15 from seven overs and one ball. Bruce has now claimed 15 Division One wickets at 2.3 runs apiece!

Uppingham are still hot favourites for the title though. They hold a 31-point lead over Town who have a game in hand. Perhaps crucially Uppingham still have to visit Bretton Gate.

Reigning champions Bourne have made steady progress in recent weeks and sit just 21 points behind Town after beating Oundle by four wickets at the Abbey Lawns.

Bourne were struggling at 80-6 chasing Oundle’s 164-9 when Conrad Louth (49no) and Tom Dixon (44no) came together to win the game with an unbroken stand of 80.

At the bottom end of the table it was a great day for Barnack who thtashed relegation rivals March Town by 170 runs and moved out of the bottom two as fellow strugglers Market Overton conceded their game at Wisbech at a cost of -20 points.

Asim Butt, a Peterborough Town star on a Saturday, was in blistering form for Barnack cracking an unbeaten 120 from 100 balls to propel his side to 280-3 in 45 overs. Zeeshan Manzoor enhanced his reputation as a clean striking big-hitter with a rapid 85.

Nassington just managed to withstand some girl power to beat Eaton Socon by five runs. Teenager Alicia Presland (5-28) recorded the best figures by a lady cricket in the history of the Rutland League to help bowl Nassington out for 195.

Results

BOURNE beat OUNDLE by 4 wkts

Oundle 164-9 (D. Oldham 38no, P. Foster 28. S. Evison 4-35).

Bourne 168-6 (C. Louth 49no, T. Dixon 44no, B. Hussain 3-36).

NASSINGTON beat EATON SOCON by 5 runs

Nassington 195 (D. Robinson 41, J. Potter 34, C. Craig 31, A. Presland 5-28, R. Worboys 3-33).

Eaton Socon 190-8 (C. Budd 65, J. Pope 3-50).

UPPINGHAM lost to PETERBOROUGH TOWN by 58 runs

Town 201-5 (L. Bruce 68, D. Clarke 39, D. Sayer 26no, C. French 22, D. Butchart 3-46).

Uppingham 143 (J. Dumford 39, M. Bennett 30, L. Bruce 6-15).

MARCH lost to BARNACK by 170 runs

Barnack 280-3 (A. Butt 120no, Z. Manzoor 85, A. Akhtar 36).

March 110