Duo engineer Finedon win

Will Sneath and Chris Goode bowled Finedon Dolben to a vital win against NCCC Academy in the weekend's big fixture to move to within a point of the County youngsters at the top of the Hevey Building Supplies Northamptonshire premier division table.

The Academy were bowled out for 158 as the new ball pairing proved to be at their devastating best.

Sneath ended with figures of 4-38 and Goode picked up 3-69 to tear through the Academy's top order. Only David Willey offered any resistance. The young left hander impressed with 86 and veteran David Ripley added some useful late runs to give the total a modicum of respectability.

Chris Todd top scores with 58

Finedon's batsman were in no mood to let a winning opportunity slip though. Chris Todd top scored with 58 whilst Greg Evans and John Mcloughlin were both undefeated on 55 and 43 respectively.

The result leaves the Academy top by a single point from Finedon, with both sides having won eight matches at the half way stage.

Peterborough Town are in third place and only 11 points adrift following their victory at Wollaston.

Waqas Chughtai helped himself to six wickets as the home side were restricted to 163-9 in their 55 overs.

The Pakistani opening bowler found some considerable assistance in the wicket which offered pace, bounce and seam movement. Simon Driver top scored for Wollaston with 34 and other members of the tail also provided useful contributions with the bat.

Peterborough were grateful to Cameron Wake for getting them over the finishing line for the loss of six wickets. The former Durham University student made an unbeaten 65 to hold the innings together. Good support came from

Alan Burton who made 38 whilst Steve Musgrave and Chris Perry both took two wickets.

The Old Northamptonians enjoyed their seventh win of the season with a comfortable five wicket victory over struggling Burton Latimer at Billing Road.

The visitors were in deep trouble at 23 for three before Tim Laws stepped up to the plate – smashing 120 from only 98 balls in an innings which comprised fifteen fours and four sixes to lead his side to 201 all out. Pace merchant Ross McLean was in fine form for the home side – taking 5-71 from 14 hostile overs.

The ON's achieved the required total for the loss of five wickets and with seven overs to spare.

Dale Iniff top scored with 75 whilst Charles Swallow made his half century and Richard Ingman stroked 36. For the visitors, Josh Scully ended with 3-38 from nine overs but Burton have now lost their last seven league fixtures and will be hoping for a much improved run of form going into the second half of the season.

Rushden Town have no such worries as they cantered to a seven wicket home victory over bottom club Stony Stratford. Stony elected to bat first and made a positive start with Nick Allen and Graeme Carter adding 73 for the first wicket. However, following the departure of Allen for 31, things quickly went downhill.

Mudasser Hussain snared 5-20 from 17 overs and County slow left arm bowler Graeme White took 4-46 as the visitors were bowled out for 161.

Darren Harrison (51) and Graeme White (33) then set the platform for victory by putting on 84 for the first wicket, before Hussain completed a fine allround performance with an undefeated 36. The win maintains Rushden's position in the top five and leaves Stony rock bottom.

Northampton Saints recorded their second consecutive victory with a crushing eight wicket defeat of Irthlingborough at Birchfield Road East.

Indian Chandan Madan once again starred for the visitors – making 51 out of his side's total of 160 for nine. Brent Findlay took 3-43 and former first class bowler Richard Stemp took 3-19 to give the Saints a very average total to chase.

Mark Nelson then proved that last week's century was no fluke as he crashed four sixes and five fours in his 50 and Chris Park also made an undefeated half century as the Saints took just 33.4 overs to reach their total and move above Irthlingborough in the table.

The day's other game saw Desborough travel to Rushton and it was the visitors who emerged victorious by 3 wickets in a high scoring affair. Rushton made 260 in their 55 overs, thanks largely to Kieran Price's 85 and 56 from Sheldon Kearns. Terry Butt toiled away for 17 overs to end with 5-88 and Mohammad Irshad picked up 3-38 from his 17 very tight overs.

Former Horton player Gurjeet Sapal then paved the way for Desborough's impressive win with a stylish 89, whilst Mahmood Ali top scored with 92.
Desborough eventually got over the finishing line with three overs to spare. For Rushton, Marc Jackson and Ben Williamson both took two wickets apiece.