Not a bad day for Peterborough Town even though they didn't play well, rain ruins Oundle chase, big bounce back from Bourne, high five for Market Deeping, remarkable collapse by Spalding, Wisbech beaten, Aussie power fires Ramsey and a cruise for Castor

The city side’s first game following a miserable T20 campaign ended in a draw at Desborough, but they gleaned enough bonus points from a contest shortened by rain to fend off in-form Finedon at the top of the table. Finedon drew at Oundle as a potentially exciting match was ruined by an ill-timed downpour.

Town didn’t bowl tightly enough as Desborough posted 252 and rain interruptions meant David Clarke’s men only had 30 overs to chase victory. A poor start left them teetering at 48-4 before Alex Mitchell (49no) and Sulemain Saleem (28no) steered them to safety at 118-4. Mark Edwards took five expensive wickets for Town.

"It wasn’t a bad day considering we didn’t play well,” Town skipper Clarke said.

Finedon slumped from 180-3 to 233 all out at Oundle and left their hosts 55 overs in reply, but heavy rain reduced the number of overs available to 36. Conor Craig (62) and Mark Hodgson (45) scored freely for Oundle as they closed on 172-8. Hodgson’s unique slow bowling skills yielded five wickets.

Leaders Bourne bounced back brilliantly from a shock first defeat of the Lincs Premier Division season at Scunthorpe by winning by five wickets at Sleaford, the team who started the day in second place.

Bourne recovered from 28-3 to reach a match-winning score of 233-5, a target reduced slightly by rain. Middle order men Carl Wilson (66), Pete Morgan (48no) and Jonathan Cheer (45) turned the game around.

It’s five wins in a row for Market Deeping who beat Louth by five wickets in another game shortened by bad weather, but Spalding suffered a remarkable collapse on the way to a three-wicket reverse at Scunthorpe.

Jon Manton (73) and Mitch Freeman (28) added 98 for the first wicket, but from 123-1 Spalding lost their last nine wickets for just five runs! Joshua Knapton (6-18) did most of the damage.

Wisbech suffered their first defeat of the Cambs Division One season in a low-scoring affair at second-placed Foxton & Granta. Opener Danny Haynes scored 56 of the Fenmen’s 122.

Aussie power saw Ramsey to a 123-run over March at Cricketfield Lane. Men from Down Under Tommy Morrison (122) and Elliott Durrant (79) top scored as the Rams piled up 346-6 in their 50 overs. Durrant’s runs arrived in just 52 balls and included 10 fours and two sixes. Michael Cafferkey (58) also scored well before Arron Visser struck 59 and Curtis Oldroyd made 41 for March. Oldroyd also took four wickets as did Cafferkey for Ramsey.

Bottom club Stamford were hammered by Cambridge St Giles.

In Division Two second-placed Castor warmed up for a big game at leaders Blunham next Saturday by skittling Foxton Granta seconds for just 75 to set up a nine wicket win.

Ufford Park lost by 102 runs to St Ives and Warboys after slumping to 76 all out.

RESULTS

Northants Premier Division

Desborough 252 (W. Steed 98, M. Edwards 5-81, Josh Smith 2-38, Jamie Smith 2-38) drew with Peterborough Town 117-4 (A. Mitchell 49no, S. Saleem 28no, C. Milner 21)

Finedon 233 (J. Bowers 56, D. Brierley 52, M. Hodgson 5-49, C. Craig 2-13) drew with Oundle 172-8 (C. Craig 62, M. Hodgson 45).

Lincs Premier Division

Bourne 233-5 (C. Wilson 66, P. Morgan 48no, J. Cheer 45) beat Sleaford 246-5 (H. Cooper 100, B. Wright 3-34) by 5 wkts (rain revised target).

Market Deeping 122-4 (C. Gillett 37, A. Hafeez 31no) beat Louth 201 (H. NIazi 4-30, M. Mills 2-38, J. Smith 2-39) by 6 wkts (rain revised target).

Scunthorpe 130-7 (N. Atapattu 4-37, B. Andrews 2-40) beat Spalding 128 (J. Manton 73, M. Freeman 28) by 3 wkts

Cambs Division One

Foxton Granta 123-7 (G. Freear 4-22, J. Dunning 2-7) beat Wisbech 122 (D. Haynes 56) by 3 wkts

Ramsey 346-6 (T. Morrison 122, E. Durrant 79, M. Cafferkey 58, M. Saunders 34, C. Oldroyd 4-36) beat March 223 (A. Visser 59, C. Oldroyd 41, S. Akhter 35, B. Phillips 35, M. Cafferkey 48, E. Cafferkey 2-41) by 123 runs

Cambridge St Giles 245-8 (B. Bennett 4-38, A. Birch 2-35) beat Stamford 100 (C. Germon 5-33) by 145 runs

Cambs Division Two

Castor 78-1 (M. Wheat 38no) beat Foxton Granta 2nds 75 (S. Dockerill 3-16, C. Parnell 3-20, R. Evans 2-17) by 9 wkts

St Ives & Warboys 178-9 beat Ufford Park 76 by 102 runs.