Town battered by league leaders
Leighton Buzzard CC round-up
Just when it looked like they were hitting a bit of form, league leaders Sandford and St Martin arrived in town to pop Leighton's bubble.
A seven-wicket defeat at Bell Close was harsh on a Town side who went into the fixture high on confidence following the previous weekend's thrashing of Abingdon Vale. But Sandford were on this occasion a bridge too far for Leighton, who can at least take some positives out of the game.
In warm conditions Town were put in to bat and suffered an early blow in the second over when opener Ben Friday was caught.
Chris Thompson and Phil Whatmore - last week's winning pair in that nine-wicket success in Oxfordshire - put on 39 runs before the former fell on 22 off only 19 balls. Whatmore then fought a lone battle with the next five batsmen only making 13 between them.
When he eventually fell with the score on 140-8, Whatmore had produced a splendid innings of 73 including no less than nine boundaries and two 6s - his fifth half century of the season so far.
Fortunately for Town, skipper Antony Francis and Lee Selfe then put together a ninth-wicket stand of 48 before Francis was run out for 32 and Selfe soon followed for 20, being last man out with the score on 189.
The visitors made a steady start with 35 runs off 14 overs before Selfe took the wicket of Howe for 10. Opener Pearson was joined by 18-year-old Kill and together they reached a stand worth 121 in 28 overs before the former was bowled by Light for 54.
That was as good as it got for the Town attack though and Kill hit the winning runs to round off a fantastic innings of 88 not out, leaving the hosts well beaten.
Cumnor 2nds 211-8
Leighton Buzzard 2nds 210
Leighton 2nds were involved in another thriller, losing off the last ball of the match to Cumnor.
The home side won the toss and put Town in to bat, and they made another solid start with an opening partnership worth 70 between Tim O'Leary (48) and Chris Hipwell (44). Andy Smith scored 31 and a number of other batsmen made a decent start but were unable to move on to a bigger innings. For the home side Steve Slade and Simon Howarth did the damage sharing eight wickets as Town closed on 210.
In reply Leighton made a good start when Nick Boyce took a wicket in his first over but Cumnor responded with some aggressive stroke play which added 76 run for the second wicket in quick time. Gareth Benger and Fraser McJannet then gave the visitors some hope as they reigned in the run rate bowling 17 overs for just 34 runs.
But unfortunately Town lost their way a little with some poor bowling and missed catches. Benger kept plugging away in the hot conditions, bowling 16 overs and taking 5-53 while wicket Keeper Tim O'Leary took three good catches.
At the start of the last over Cumnor needed six runs to win and scored five off the first two balls to bring the scores level. There were then two dot balls, a wicket fell on the fifth delivery and so one run was needed off the last ball.
With Leighton's fielders stood determined to stop a quick single, the batsman played at it and missed the ball - it went through to the wicket keeper standing back who threw the ball at the stumps as the batsmen charged down the wicket. But unfortunately for Town the ball just missed the stumps and the home team had done enough. Town get 12 points and Cumnor 25.
Leighton Buzzard 201
Flitwick 237-6
There was an early start for Sunday's game when league leaders Flitwick were the visitors to Bell Close. They won the toss and decided to bat first. Town made a decent start and soon had Thurstance and Davies back in the pavilion.
Ferguson made 31 but the key innings for the visitors came from Andy Hicks who was in excellent form for his 81 runs which included eight boundary 4s. He received good support from the middle order and a score of 237-6 from 45 overs was achieved.
Tom Light (40) and Phil Whatmore (20) soon had 70 runs on board as the reply started, but the introduction of spin into the Flitwick bowling attack soon reaped dividends. Silva removed Whatmore and James Bishop in the same over and Kempster and Roberts soon followed. Scott (26) Francis (35) and Selfe (22) offered some resistance but Leighton could only manage 201 and lost by 36 runs, Silva (4-34) and Thurstance (3-33) doing the damage.
Leighton 2nds were on the end of a big defeat to Pilgrims Oakley who set Town a target of just 124, but bowled out their visitors for a mere 83.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
