Banbury bowled over by winning run chase
Leighton Buzzard Cricket Club round-up
CHERWELL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO
Banbury XX 184-9
Leighton Buzzard 186-8
Leighton's first visit to Banbury for many years ended with a two-wicket victory after a tense finish that saw them take the points with just eight balls remaining.
Town won the toss, asked their hosts to bat and soon had some success with Al Priestley getting an lbw decision with the score on 6-1. There then followed a stand of 46 before two further wickets fell which were followed by a stand of 57 between Mark Haupt - who top scored with 62 - and Dave Clark who made 37, although he was dropped before he had scored.
By now Leighton's two spinners were operating and between them Lee Selfe and Tom Light took seven wickets, Selfe recording 4-67 off 17 overs and Light 3-39 off 10 overs. Banbury's innings finished on 184-9 off 53 overs leaving Town a daunting run chase for victory.
The reply started briskly with 37 off the first 10 overs, but by then both openers had departed each scoring nine. Phil Whatmore was joined by Antony Francis in a stand of 47 before Francis was bowled for seven.
With Whatmore scoring heavily he eventually reached his sixth half century of the season. He proceeded to 70 before holding out to Haupt off the bowling of Keith Arnold (4-51).
With further efforts from the latter batsmen - Jack Kempster (12), Tom Light (14) and Dave Roberts (15) - it was left to Selfe (11 not out) to hit the winning boundary as Town reached 186-8 in 47.4 overs for a very welcome 25 league points.
CHERWELL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR
Leighton Buzzard 2nds 152-2
Banbury XX 2nds 148
Town won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. Adam Culley was in devastating form for Leighton and took a wicket in each of his first three overs to leave Banbury reeling at 7-3.
The mayhem continued although Ahmed (30) Thomas (48) and Azhar (20) tried hard to add some respectability to the score. But Culley was in no mood to concede and when he returned for his second spell wickets began to fall again. He finished with outstanding figures of 7-43 - his best ever Cherwell bowling analysis. Nick Boyce took two wickets and Kirk Brazier one as the visitors subsided to 148 all out off 49 overs.
Leighton's new opening pairing of Kirk Brazier and Chris Hipwell then tore into the bowling attack with a string of boundaries and quickly had 82 runs on the scoreboard when Brazier was bowled for 48 in the 10th over. This came from 33 deliveries and included nine boundaries.
Richard Raine scored 13 before he too was out, but Andy Smith was eager to finish the game quickly and scored 30 not out off 26 balls with five 4s. Hipwell ended on 31 not out with five 4s and Leighton won off 19 overs by eight wickets to take all 25 points.
CHERWELL LEAGUE DIVISION EIGHT
Leighton Buzzard 3rds 120-9
Buckingham 3rds 197-4 dec
Town's young third team are having a tough time of it this season, although a good rearguard action saw them hang on for an creditable draw against a decent Buckingham side.
Leighton won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. Opener Steve Brunning had a field day as he raced to 113, including 17 boundary 4s. O'Dell was the other main contributor with 30 and Buckingham declared their innings on 197-4 off 42 overs.
Nigel Payne was top scorer for Town with 28 with Jack Bishop 20, Will Smith 15 and James Raine 14 being the other main contributors. Adam Stiles and Simon Anderson-Dry were the last two men standing and they managed to defend the last five overs of the game with the fielders clustered around the bat.
So a draw was the outcome with Leighton getting five points and Buckingham 16, which still leaves Town 23 points adrift at the bottom of the table.
BEDS SUNDAY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Luton Town and Indians 303
Leighton Buzzard 108
Town made the short trip to Wardown Park to meet top of the table Luton Town and Indians but came away with a humiliating defeat by 195 runs.
The hosts decided to bat first and Leighton struck early by removing both openers with the score on 29-2. However Luton's overseas player Salvi was in fine form and hit the Town attack all around the ground and was eventually the seventh man out with the score on 277-7.
His contribution a staggering 164 which included three 6s and 18 boundaries. He had assistance from Parsooth (32) and skipper Bashir (27).
Luton were eventually bowled out for 303 in 44.3 overs as Town's five bowlers used suffered terribly, the best being Adam Culley with 4-74, Jack Kempster 2-48 and Dan Scott 2-65.
When Town started their reply they soon lost early wickets and found themselves 49-7 after 18 overs, before the latter batsmen pushed the score along, mainly through Jack Bishop who hit 29 off 38 balls with several good shots.
Alfie Ruston contributed 12 runs and with James Raine (10) Town managed to make three figures. But the writing was on the wall as Town ended all out for 108 - a deficit of 195 runs. The only good news for Town was that for bowling Luton out they picked up a useful 10 points.
>> In Division Four of the Beds League Leighton 2nds (125-8) were on the end of a 77-run defeat to Sandy (202).
>> This weekend sees Leighton travel to Wolverton and the 2nds play at home to Wallingford. On Sunday the first team play away against Southill Park and the 2nds are at home to Blunham 2nds.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South
