NORTHANTS LEAGUE: Oundle hit the top as Town slip up again

Bashrat Hussain took four wickets for Oundle.

They annihilated rock-bottom Wollaston by eight wickets yesterday (June 3) and take over at the summit from Peterborough Town, who suffered defeat for the second Saturday running.

With Bashrat Hussain (4-29) and Hanno Kotze (5-12) both in menacing form with the ball, Oundle were able to bowl out their hosts for just 71 in 27.3 overs.

Then Kotze blasted a quickfire 43 not out (five fours and three sixes) to steer Oundle to 74-2 in 15 overs.

Lewis Bruce pictured during his knock of 62 not out for Town against Rushden. Picture: David Lowndes

Town entertained Rushden at Bretton Gate and were looking to bounce back after suffering a shock defeat at Brixworth.

But they faltered again, beaten by four wickets by a side who had been hammered seven days earlier by 280 runs by Rushton.

This week Town managed to last for their full 50-over allocation but really should have done better than 210-8.

Lewis Bruce, batting at three, finished with 62 not out off 98 balls after openers Asim Butt (38) and David Clarke (31) had made a reasonable start.

But Rushden had an ace up their sleeve in the form of Sri Lankan professional Chanaka Ruwansiri. He played Town’s deadly spin duo of Bruce and Paul McMahon superbly during a match-winning knock of 80 as Rushden reached 214-6 with four overs remaining.

Town are now third, nine points behind Oundle and two behind Rushton.

There was another solid performance by Peterborough Towns seconds in Division Two.

They returned from Wellingborough Indians on the back of a 165-run win after some fine individual performances with bat and ball.

With the bat it was Hewa Atapattu (58), Connor Parnell (40no) and Scott Howard (49) who impressed as Town made 251-7 off their 50 overs and then the best bowlers were Nadir Haider (7-37) and Farhan Adil (3-47) as the Indians were scalped for 86.