JAIDKA CUP FINAL: A victory for elegance over brute force

No team locally can match the brutal hitting strength of Pete Morgan’s merry men, but the big boundaries at Bretton Gate were made to measure for a Town side enjoying the considerable advantage of playing at home.

Bourne still cleared the ropes five times - three times in consecutive balls Rob Bentley struck Cambs captain Paul McMahon for maximums - on their way to 145-6 whereas Town’s only six arrived from the final ball of the game when winning skipper Dave Clarke smacked Colin Cheer into the distance to seal victory for his team with nine balls to spare.

It also brought up Clarke’s half century and with it a deserved man-of-the-match award. The captain struck just two fours, but ran Bourne ragged with clever placement and aggressive sprinting. He threw his arms aloft at the death to celebrate his first trophy as Town skipper and his club’s first Jaidka Cup success since 2012.

Clarke and Asim Butt set Town on their way to a revenge win - Bourne overpowered the city side in the final 12 months ago - with a third-wicket partnership of 58 in quick time. Town were looking pretty at 90-2 from 10 overs, but Butt’s effortless innings of 45 ended in disappointing fashion as he holed out rather unnecessarily in Sam Evison’s first over, an act that caused a mini wobble. Fortunately for Town, Joe Dawborn’s cool head and straight hitting in tandem with his captain ensured the better side won the game.

The difference in bowling strength was key. Cheer claimed two wickets early on, including the prize scalp of first-class cricketer Hasan Azad for a first over duck, but support was poor until Evison completed a fine all-round game adding 2-19 from four overs to his enterprising 31.

Bentley’s onslaught, backed up by Quewin O’Connor (29), enabled Bourne to hit 90 from the final 10 overs, but, the first over of Town’s reply aside, 145 never looked enough.

Dawborn also struck in the first over for Town and the pace of the Cambs strike bowler and that of David Sayer was a key factor in the game. Bourne were lucky Town spilled several chances in the field, most of them tricky.

Scores

Bourne

P. Morgan b Azad 14

J. Berry c Milner b Dawborn 0

S. Evison b Oldham 31

C. Wilson c Dawborn b McMahon 10

R. Bentley b Danyaal 40

Q. O’Connor c Dawborn b Sayer 29

T. Dison not out 9

M. Kidd not out 1

Extras 12

TOTAL (6 wkts) 145

Bowling: J. Dawborn 4-1-18-0. D. Sayer 4-0-26-1; H. Azad 3-0-20-1;l P. McMahon 4-0-39-1; D. Oldham 4-0-26-1; M. Danyaal 1-0-11-1.

Peterborough

H. Azad c Berry b Cheer 0

A. Butt c Dixon b Evison 45

A. Mitchell b Cheer 18

D. Clarke not out 53

P. McMahon c Morgan b Evison 2

D. Sayer c Wilson b Kidd 0

J. Dawborn not out 15

Extras 14

TOTAL (5 wkts) 147

Bowling: C. Cheer 3.3-0-26-2; M. Kidd 4-0-35-1; J. Keywood 4-0-43-0; T. Dixon 3-0-23-0; S. Evison 4-0-19-2.