Peterborough Town race to victory, Oundle grateful for Norman conquest, Stamford Town up to second, Wisbech and Ufford Park win, Castor, March and Market Deeping all beaten
Rushden & Higham are one of just three teams to have avoided defeat against Town this season, but while they were stubborn at Bretton Gate on the opening day of the campaign, they were horribly soft on their own ground in the return fixture.
Rushden were bowled out so quickly Town’s demon spinners didn’t even get a bowl as seamers David Sayer (3-11), Mark Edwards (3-36), Mohammed Danyaal (2-18) and Jamie Smith (2-26) claimed all 10 wickets between them.
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Hide AdThe home side were despatched for just 91 in 27 overs and two balls with Danyaal claiming the prize scalp of Chanaka Ruwansiri - the top all-rounder in the league alongside Town’s Lewis Bruce - for 45.
And then Chris Milner continued his extraordinary season by bashing 53 from just 31 balls (10 fours) as Town scooted home by six wickets inside 13 overs to maintain a 29-point lead at the top. Reigning champions Finedon are now second and likely to present the only challenge to the city side.
Rushden brought on Ruwansiri to bowl far too late. He took four wickets in just three overs.
Oundle, who play Peterborough next Saturday (July 20), claimed an excellent 71-run win over Northampton Saints at Milton Road, thanks mainly to a brutal century from Tom Norman, his first at Premier Division level.
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Hide AdNorman cracked 112 from just 78 balls including seven sixes and 11 fours as Oundle piled up 317-8 in their 50 overs. In-form skipper Mark Hodgson finished unbeaten on 70.
Stamford Town are up to second in Cambs Division Two after seeing off Saffron Walden seconds by 15 runs.
Alex Birch (73) and Andrew Hulme (64) added 143 for the second wicket for Stamford.
Castor lost a big game at the bottom falling by 41 runs at Huntingdon after getting skittled for 81, but Ufford Park beat Kimbolton by 20 runs with Hamish Bell (55), Tom Cooper (53) and Sandip Dahiya (4-21) all performing well.
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Hide AdWisbech beat Thriplow by three wickets in Division One and are fourth, two places above March who lost by two runs at Cambridge seconds despite 86 from Brandon Phllips and a decent all-round day for Shardul Brahmbhatt (40 & 4-39).
Market Deeping’s batsmen failed to fire as they lost by nine runs in a low scoring Lincs Premier Division game with Grantham at Outgang Road.
FIXTURES
Saturday, July 13
NORTHANTS LEAGUE
Premier Division
Oundle Town beat Northampton Saints by 71 runs
Oundle 317-8 (T. Norman 112, M. Hodgson 70no, D. Robinson 48).
Saints 246 (M. Taylor 58, C. Craig 3-28, H. Craig 3-36).
Rushden & Higham lost to Peterborough Town by 6 wkts
Rushden 91 (C. Ruwansiri 45, D. Sayer 3-11, M. Edwards 3-36, M. Danyaal 2-18, Jamie Smith 2-36).
Peterborough Town 92-4 (C. Milner 53, C. Ruwansiri 4-13).
LINCS PREMIER DIVISION
Market Deeping lost to Grantham by 9 runs (revised target)
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Hide AdGrantham 142 (D. Freeman 51, S. Perera 4-40, T. Anderson 3-46, J. Hook 2-25).
Market Deeping 127 (D. Sargeant 58, D. Freeman 5-49).
CAMBS LEAGUE
Division One
Cambridge 2nds beat March Town by 2 wkts
March 219-9 (B. Phillips 86, S. Brahmbhatt 40).
Cambridge 220-8 (A. Lockie 52,S. Brahmbhatt 4-39).
Thriplow lost to Wisbech Town by 3 wkts
Thriplow 166 (A. Palmer 3-16, G. Freear 3-29, K. Haynes 2-26, C. Clarke 2-42).
Wisbech 167-7 (S. Albutt 39, G. Freear 32, R. Howells 27no)
Division Two
Huntingdon beat Castor by 41 runs
Huntingdon 123 (O. Khan 26, R. Evans 3-9, S. Dockerill 3-26).
Castor 82 (K. Roidgers 34, N. Khan 4-23).
Stamford Town beat Saffron Walden 2nds by 15 runs
Stamford 216-9 (A. Birch 73, A. Hulme 64, S. Prentice 25no).
Saffron Walden 201-8 (M. Kimberly 50, D. Robertson 2-34, S. Prentice 2-50).
Ufford Park beat Kimbolton by 20 runs
Ufford Park 169 (H. Bell 55, T. Cooper 53).
Kimbolton 149-8 (S. Dahiya 4-21).