Bowlers lead the way in huge Stony win
Northants Cricket League round-up
Stony put the two disappointing defeats of the last fortnight behind them as they welcomed Desborough Town to Ostler's Lane in search of their second win of the season in the Premier Division.
Skipper Dion Ebrahim won the toss and put the opposition in to bat first.
Attack is the best form of defence and that's exactly what the Stony bowlers did from the outset as they took the game to the bottom of the table visitors.
Fourteen-year-old George Humpries bowled opening batsman Hamza Mubeen first ball and soon followed that up with the wicket of Shakir Mahmood who went lbw, leaving Desborough 3-2.
Gurujeet Sapal and Peter Burnham did well to consolidate the innings, although both were lucky to be dropped early on off the bowling of Humphries who enjoyed a dream spell of 2-22 off seven overs.
Burnham was in a hurry and recorded 68 of 57 balls, including six sixes, before being well caught and bowled by Nathan Hawkes.
Stony wouldn't let the game slip away and kept chipping in wickets at regular intervals. Hawkes was the most prolific of the bowlers taking 6-41 from his 11 overs and was well supported by Ebrahim (2-32) from 10 overs.
Desborough finished on a modest total of 163 and on paper the match looked very much in Stony's favour. But the batsman were well aware that they've already lost games this season when chasing modest totals.
All it would take for Stony to win their second game of the season was a couple of batsman playing themselves in to knock around 164 runs off 69 overs, at a run-rate of 2.4 per over.
But soon after their openers took to the crease disaster stuck as Nick Allen was unlucky to be bowled by an inswinger from the Desborough opening bowler and Stony were fearing the worst.
Ebrahim then arrived and started from where he left off last week when he made 120 not out in the defeat to Wollaston. He scored freely and was never in trouble for his 63 not out from 91 balls that included nine fours and one six.
The star of the day was John Lambe as he whacked nine fours and three sixes on his way to 75 not out off 93 balls.
The pair put on 157 runs unbeaten and crossed the winning line after 32 overs to secure a much needed nine-wicket win for Stony and important points that lift them up into eighth place in the table.
Big chase falls short
Stony 2nds made the short trip to Towcestrians looking to build on their victory against Raunds the previous weekend in Division Three.
After winning the toss, skipper Swain put the home side into bat and it was soon clear that it was going to be a very long day in the field.
Towcestrians amassed 300-4 off 44 overs as Parish (78) and Edwards (72) put all eight of the Stony attack to the sword.
However, 300 was still a target which Stony felt they could chase down in the 56 overs they had.
Allen and Underdown fell early but quick scoring from Khan (58) and Bolton (26) had the fielders spread and the hosts concerned that they declared too early.
Canwell (68), Jethra (32) and a quick fire 23 from Ebrahim meant Stony required 80 off nine overs with only five wickets down. But when they all fell, it was time for the remaining batsmen to shut up shop and take the draw.
Things didn't go to plan though as Swain was plum lbw for five and Elemore was caught behind for zero, leaving final two Brown and Osborne needing to bat out the last three overs.
But in the 55th over Brown dragged onto leg stump and the home side were victorious, Stony all out for 252.
>> In Division Seven Stony 3rds (147-8) were two-wickets winners over Wellingborough (146 all out).
Pitcher gets Wicken back on course
After last week's defeat to West Haddon, Wicken were quickly back to winning ways as they recorded a narrow one-wicket success against Isham.
Wicken won the toss and decided to bowl, with Graham Pitcher soon taking the opening two wickets of his incredible 6-19.
Stuart Hardy was bowled for just 17 and Jim Lyon (34) was caught by Michael Ratcliffe soon after as the Isham innings started to crumble.
Number three Tim Norton proved the next to go for just one, this time courtesy of Deep Kumar (3-37).
Ratcliffe took his second catch of the day to see off David Barlow (19) via the bowling of Pitcher and when Tim Orsborn went lbw to Kumar for 10, Isham was as good as done.
The last five wickets fell for just 22 runs as Mark Onan-Read got in on the act to see off Peter Wills (12) and Isham closed on 112.
Liam Wright led Wicken's reply, but hit just 18 before going lbw to Barlow. And fellow opener Brendan Pollard wasn't far behind and went for 13 lbw to Shaun Wills (4-53).
Ratcliffe (31) saw Wicken back on track but Shaun Abbott was run out for two and Peter Geyton proved to be the second highest scorer with 22 before falling to Wills as the middle order started to fold.
Kumar went for one, Pollard three and Stephen Ratcliffe zero, leaving Wicken fearing the worst.
But after Onan-Read also fell for no score, it was left for Pitcher and Ian Roberts to hit the winning runs as they scored 20 between them to reach 116-9.
With second placed West Haddon slipping up at Earls Barton, the win means Wicken extend their lead at the top of the table having now won seven of their nine games.
>> Wicken 2nds lost to promotion hopefuls Burton Latimer 3rds by six wickets in Division Nine.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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