Milton Keynes lose ground in the title race after MK City draw

Starting the day five points adrift of the leaders, MK welcomed midtable City looking to keep up with the pace at the top of the table.

Batting first, City were hit and miss. Runs came it fits and starts, with half the team in single figures, while Zulfiqar Ahmed top scored with 58 as the visitors were eventually bowled out for 257.

For MK, Daniel Ramsell and Joe Fairbrother both took three wickets, and Navshan Nakhwa took 2-21.

MK’s reply looked to be heading in the right direction at the top of the order. Nimesh Chavda (18) and Nick Hillman (25) got them off to a solid start before Sam Hagger (48) and Kaushik Sunkara (45) appeared to put the home side in command.

But a string of cheap wickets put MK in danger, as Ahmed took 3-47, but the run rate was still close.

Lower order runs came from Ramsell thanks to his 32 from 30 balls, but overs were running out and would eventually come to haunt MK.

The final ball would come and go, leaving MK three runs shy of victory on 255-9, and City just a wicket away from putting a real dent in MK’s title aspirations.

With Thurleigh’s single wicket win over North Crawley to pick up 25 points, the result leaves MK 15 points behind in the race for the crown.

North Crawley almost did Milton Keynes a favour but lost out to leaders Thurleigh by a single wicket. Dean Adam’s 70 at the top of the order for North Crawley was the only real highlight of their innings as they were bowled out for 202.

Thurleigh opener batted with every batsman in his team as he carried the bat for his 103, but with few sticking around with him, it made for a nervy finale as Thurleigh (203-9) snuck over the line for victory.

Great lower order batting didn’t help Printers get past Biddenham. Vijay Baburaj hit 63 at four, but Gejarajan Raju and Stephen Aaron, batting at eight and nine, both hit 52 as Printers set 238-8. But 90 from Biddenham’s Hassan Yousaf saw them to victory on 239-6.

And New Bradwell (236-8) drew with New City (185-9).