Peterborough Town surrender Northants T20 crown, cracking race in store for Rutland Division One title as Barnack lose star man to two-game ban, Hunts over 50s secure shock win

The best two teams in the Northants Premier Division clashed in the decider on Finals Day at Overstone Park with Finedon winning the battle of two weakened outfits by five wickets with 15 balls to spare

Town were not too disheartened by the performance of their inexperienced team, especially as they battled their way to 123-9 after losing both openers for ducks.

Mohammed Danyaal, who had a decent all-round day, did claim an early wicket, but Finedon were always on course for victory despite the best efforts of 15 year-old leg-spinner Karanpal Singh who returned excellent figures of 3-28.

Richard Kendall collected three cheap wickets as Town beat Wellingborough in the semi-final by five wickets after dismissing their Division One opponents for just 85.

Town all-rounder Rob Sayer was in Uniciorns Championship action instead and he ploughed through 23 overs for 2-50 as Cumberland posted 297 in their first innings at Netherfield. Cambs responded with 229 all out with Sayer making 27.

The Rutland Division One title race promises to be a cracking contest this season.

Just 12 points separate the top five after defeats for Barnack and Wisbech Town, the teams who started the day in the top two, yesterday.

Wisbech are in pole position despite losing a thrilling game at neighbours March Town for whom overseas import Saranga Rajaguru (59 & 5-20) again starred.

But spare a thought for Wisbech legend Gary Freear who launched a one-man assault on the home side’s 224-8.

Freear cracked 112 before he was caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Sam Clarke to give Curtis Oldroyd his first, first-team wicket. March cruised to a 26-run win after the dangerman’s departure.

Barnack went down by four wickets in a low-scoring game at home to Oundle. The reigning champions haven’t been helped by a two-game ban for star man Asim Butt for poor behaviour in a recent win over Market Deeping.

King’s Keys are right in the mix after beating Castor by 85 runs. Danny Ashraf (68) and Zaheer Abbas (66) did best in their 262-9.

Hunts gave themselves a chance of reaching the knockout stages of the National Over 50s competition with a shock six-run win over Leicestershire at Syston. A century second-wicket stand between skipper Bob Milne (89) and David Gillett (56) set up the victory. Gillett (98) had also batted well in an 18-run defeat against Suffolk in Mildenhall. Hunts have two matches left v Beds at Barnack on July 10 and Northants at Peterborough Town CC on July 17.

RESULTS

Sunday, July 7.

NORTHANTS T20

Semi-final

PETERBOROUGH TOWN beat WELLINGBOROUGH by 4 wkts

Wellingborough 85 (R. Kendall 3-15, K. Singh 2-16).

Peterborough Town 86-5 (M. Danyaal 33).

Final

FINEDON beat PETERBOROROUGH TOWN by 5 wkts

Peterborough Town 123-9 (A. Mitchell 31, S. Howard 26, N. Danyaal 24, K. Medcalf 21,

Finedon 124-5 (E. Cox 45, K. Singh 3-28).

RUTLAND DIVISION ONE

Barnack lost to Oundle Town by 4 wkts

Barnack 132 (S. Amir 31, M. Hammad 24)

Oundle 136-6

King’s Keys beat Castor by 85 runs

King’s Keys 262-9 (D. Ashraf 68, Z. Abbas 66, M. Raheel 37, R. Porter 3-52, S. Dunn 3-63, R. Evans 2-32)

Castor 177 (S. Salkar 32, R. Evans 30, J. Weaver 26, D. Cooper 20, J. Ghani 4-13, Z. Ali 2-25, S. Ashraf 2-35)

March beat WISBECH by 26 runs

March 224-8 (S. Rajaguru 59, S. Akhter 41, S. Clarke 29, A. Conyard 26, B. Ellis 3-21).

Wisbech 198 (G. Freear 112, A. Palmer 36, S. Rajaguru 5-20, W. Curtis 2-29).

NATIONAL OVER 50s

SUFFOLK beat HUNTS by 18 runs

Suffolk 225-9 (P. Gillett 3-39, P. Waughman 3-40, A. Lee 3-44).

Hunts 207 (D. Gillett 98, S. Best 33, P. Waughman 25).

LEICESTERSHIRE lost to HUNTS by 6 runs

Hunts 193-6 (R. Milne 89, D. Gillett 56).

Leicestershire 187-9 (P. Waughman 3-29, A. Lee 2-29, A. Anthony 2-35).