JAIDKA CUP FINAL: Town out to save their season

Bourne captain Peter Morgan batting against Peterborough Town in the abandoned Jaidka Cup Final. The wicket-keeper is Chris Milner. Photo: David Lowndes.

Town host Bourne knowing this is their sole chance of landing a trophy this summer. That’s an unusual situation in July for a side used to challenging for the Northants Premier Division title.

But that dream disappeared with a miserable defeat at Wollaston on Saturday (July 9). Town were also thumped by Nassington in Rutland Division One yesterday (July 10) to leave them stranded in mid-table and their Northants Twenty/20 Cup campaign lasted just one match when they were well beaten by the 10-men of Rushton.

The Jaidka Cup has been a little lower on the priority list for Town in recent seasons - they haven’t won it since defeating Nassington in the 2012 final - but it’s assumed great importance now.

Balaji Ganesan bowls for Peterborough Town in the abandoned Jaidka Cup Final. Photo: David Lowndes.

“Realistically it’s our best chance of a trophy so we will be fired up,” Town skipper David Clarke said. “We were bad at Wollaston on Saturday so we need to bounce back from that.

“It’s a tough game for us though. Bourne showed us how dangerous they can be in the first final a couple of weeks ago.”

That match was rained off when delicately poised, but the teams will start afresh tonight with different teams if required.

There’s a smattering of players more used to second team cricket in the Town line-up as senior players Ajaz Akhtar, Tim Young, David Sayer, Alex Mitchell and Jamie Smith are all absent.

Bourne have been extremely successful at Twenty/20 cricket in recent seasons and will fancy their chances, especially with their power hitting against an inexperienced bowling attack.

Captain Peter Morgan, who has two Twenty/20 tons to his name this season already, is Bourne’s obvious dangerman.

But Bourne have strengthened since the original tie with Lincs Minor Counties wicket-keeper/batsman Carl Wilson in action as well as fast bowler Colin Cheer.

Peterborough Town: D. Clarke, L. Bruce, A. Butt, C. Milner, R. Kendall, S. Howard, M. Howard, B. Ganesan, J. Dawborn, D. Oldham, M. Danyaal.

Bourne: P. Morgan, R. Bentley, T. Bentley, J. Berry, T. Dixon, M. Collins, C. Cheer, C. Wilson, A. Stroud, B. Keast, R. Dunn.