Stony Stratford threw away a golden opportunity to claim a major upset and virtually secure their Premier Division status for another season after a 34 run defeat at second placed Northampton Saints on Saturday. After bowling and fielding excellently to restrict a powerful Saints batting line up to 207 from their 55 overs, Stony were left to rue a terrible collapse in their own innings after they looked to be cruising to a memorable win.
Stony skipper Steve Bellew won the toss and asked Saints to bat on a very slow wicket that offered little for the seamers. Bellew and Dave Avery bowled tightly against Saints openers Alec Swann and Zak Harvey, who are the two leading run scorers in the league so far this season. Although the pair offered no chances, runs were hard to come by for them and after twenty overs, Saints had only managed 50 runs. Youngster Chris Guy replaced Avery and left arm spinner Simon Myatt replaced his captain and the pair both produced their best spells of the season. Harvey (78) and Swann (48) had got the score to 111 from 34 overs and with wickets in hand, Saints looked like posting a big score. But Swann was tied down by Myatt and the former Lancashire opener was bowled when trying to advance down the wicket to bring up his half century. Harvey soon followed bowled by Guy who then bowled Riaan Krynauw for a duck. With the score continuing to tick along at four and over, Stony were doing a great job of restricting Saints to a gettable target and when Myatt ripped through their middle order, it looked at one stage as if they would be restricted to under 200. Myatt (5 for 69) claimed three caught and bowled victims and bowled a tight off stump line, turning the ball away and forcing the batsmen to play against the spin. Stony dropped the dangerous Andy Reynoldson twice as he made 29, but only Joe Collins (21) and Richard Ashton (17) made it past double figures as Saints ended up on 207 for 9 from 55 overs.
After 15 overs of the Stony innings, they had the game by the scruff of the neck at 80 for 1. Garth Davson was back to his fluent best despite nursing a damaged left hand and he smashed the ball to all parts on his way to a fine half century. Mihir Choksi went for nine earlier on but with Davson in full flow and with Dion Ebrahim fresh of an unbeaten hundred last week, Stony looked well set to chase the total down. And then they collapsed inexplicably against what was a pretty average Saints attack.
Firstly, Ebrahim attempted a sweep shot against the spin of former England A left armer Michael Davies. With the ball turning away from the veteran Zimbabwean, he only succeeded in chipping a simple catch to short fine leg to depart for 6. Davson soon followed, walking up the wicket to Davies and getting no-where near the ball to be easily stumped by Swann for 55. 80 for 1 had turned into 83 for 3 and the game was in the balance because Stony were literally giving wickets away. Worse was to come as Nick Allen (1) and Paul West (5) quickly followed and from a position of domination, Stony were now trying to stay in the game. Chris Bolton (11) and Jarrod Pretorius (18) began a lower middle order mini revival for Stony, taking the score up to 113. Saints had gone quiet in the field and even when Bolton missed a straight one to be bowled, they seemed to lack confidence despite being second in the league and chasing a first NCL title. Myatt (28) and Pretorius then took Stony up to 131 before Pretorius was run out in a horrendous mix up with the big all rounder. Bellew and Myatt then edged Stony back in the game by putting on 30 for the eighth wicket, before Myatt had a taste of his own medicine and was caught and bowled by Reynoldson. The end was nigh for Stony with Bellew stranded at the other end, last men Chris Guy (0) and Dave Avery (4) were disposed of by Pat Latham with four overs left.
Stony face old rivals Wollaston at Ostlers Lane on Saturday in what is usually a fiery and competitive encounter. Wollaston are in sixth place but the sides are evenly matched and Stony will be looking to reproduce the same sort of form that saw them win in their last game at Ostlers Lane two weeks ago against Rushton.
Stony 2nds jumped back into the second promotion place in Division 3, leapfrogging Saturday’s opponents Towcestrians after securing a winning draw. Batting first, Stony hammered a massive 295 for 8 with Steve Wharton hitting a magnificent 175. Wharton looked to be heading for a double ton only to be run out backing up in the 45th over. John Lambe (44) helped Wharton to put on 171 for the first wicket as Tows chased leather all afternoon.
In reply, Towcester never made an attempt to chase the total down especially after prolific openers Matthew Yuill and Ben Laycock were dismissed early. In truth they were never in danger of being bowled out on a very flat Ostlers Lane wicket, finishing on 210 for 5. Stony are now one point in front of Tow’s in second, with top of the table Peterborough II well clear at the top.
Stony’s 3rd XI have got themselves right back into the hunt for what would be an incredible fourth successive promotion from division 6 after an easy 8 wicket win at home to second placed Kettering II. The visitors were bowled out for 143 with four wickets for Oswin Peter, two for Callum Price and three for Neil Fewtrell. Stony wasted little time chasing down the total, with 72 from James Pickles and an unbeaten 46 from skipper Andy Preston. Stony are now in fifth place with four games to play, 21 points behind third placed Kettering.