Brigstock boys are adjusting well to live in first division

In the wet summer of 2012 it was the latter half of May before they were able to play a game and they had endured eight ‘no results’ before July had been and gone.

The ducks were an all-too-common sight.

However, using the expression less literally, it would be a fitting description of how they have this year taken to life in Division One.

It has been a patient process for the men from The Meadow.

After years spent knocking on the door of the second tier, without ever getting it to open, they finally succeeded last season.

And with three wins, two fairly dominant draws and a solitary loss from their first six games they seem to have settled in quickly.

“It’s been a dream start for us,” skipper Satnam Singh explained.

“To be honest we were probably expecting a little bit more of Division One.

“We thought it would be harder but the step up has not been that big so far.

“I don’t know whether sides have underestimated us or not but there has not been much in it between the two divisions.

“The main difference would be the batting depth.

“Sides seem to bat further down the order but bowling-wise it’s fairly similar.

“It possibly helps that a lot of the sides are ones we are aware of from playing them in Division Two.

“But we’ve started well – long may it continue.”

Their opening few games have been so good it has already made them think again about what the expectations are from 2016.

Singh added: “Our aim at the beginning was to stay up.

“We just said do your best and try to stay in Division One.

“Now I would probably be a bit disappointed to be in the bottom half and the top four would be very nice.

“I know other sides were saying we would need to recruit but that’s not something we’re hot on here.

“All the lads come from within a three-mile radius of the village and have played together at the club for a long time.

“Nearly all of us are under 26, with good availability and are starting to know our own games a lot better.

“It means we have a solid team and the atmosphere at the club is really good – there’s a good craic.

“But we’ve got ONs 2nd this weekend. They are top and are probably the strongest side.

“It will be a good test for us and should show us roughly where we are.”

Holders Rushden came out on top in the Premier Division battle between last season’s leading contenders as they beat Peterborough by two wickets having been given a few concerns late on.

Christian Davis took 4-52 to help dismiss the 2012, 2013 and 2014 title winners for only 170.

And with Davis prospering with bat in hand as well it all looked plain sailing for Rushden.

At 155-4 they were within touching distance of victory before Danny Mohammed’s 4-24 caused a few palpitations in the Rushden dressing-room.

However, they were close enough to the line to be able to collect their fourth win of the season.

The result means Peterborough were replaced at the top by Old Northamptonians who beat Brixworth by five wickets.

Finedon Dolben sit well placed in third after a thumping 155-run success over Horton House.

Wellingborough remain bottom after losing to Oundle.

THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES

HEVEY BUILDING SUPPLIES NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CRICKET LEAGUE

Premier Division: Finedon Dolben v Brixworth, Old Northamptonians v Rushden, Peterborough v Northampton Saints, Stony Stratford v Rushton, Wellingborough Town v Horton House, Wollaston v Oundle.

Division One: Brigstock v Old Northamptonians 2nd, Burton Latimer v East Haddon, Desborough v Peterborough 2nd, Geddington v Wellingborough Indians, Isham v Finedon Dolben 2nd, Overstone Park v Weekley & Warkton.

Division Two: Irthlingborough Town v Rothwell, Kettering v Loddington, Long Buckby v Thrapston, Northampton Saints 2nd v Old Wellingburians, Rushden 2nd v Old, St Crispin & Ryelands v Great Oakley.

Division Three: Brixworth 2nd v Irchester, Earls Barton v Heyford, Horton House 2nd v Wollaston 2nd, Old Northamptonians 3rd v Great 
Houghton.

Oundle 2nd v Stony Stratford 2nd, Raunds v West Haddon & Guilsborough.

Division Four: Bowden v Northampton Saints 3rd, Finedon Dolben 3rd v Wellingborough Town 2nd, Grendon & Prims v Podington, Kislingbury v Geddington 2nd, S&L Corby v Old Grammarians, Weldon v St Crispin & Ryelands 2nd.

Division Five: Higham Ferrers v Stony Stratford 3rd, Kempston v Badby, Rothwell 2nd v Kettering 2nd, Rushton 2nd v Yelvertoft, Weekley & Warkton 2nd v Bold Dragoon, Wellingborough Indians 2nd v Overstone Park 2nd.

Division Six: Caribbean United v Isham 2nd, Cogenhoe v Mears Ashby, East Haddon 2nd v Obelisk, Great Oakley 2nd v Burton Latimer 2nd, Thrapston 2nd v Harlestone.

Division Seven: Loddington 2nd v Gretton, Old 2nd v Raunds 2nd, Old Northamptonians 4th v Irthlingborough Town 2nd, Spencer Bruerne v Desborough 2nd.

Division Eight: Horton House 3rd v Wellingborough Town 3rd, Northampton Saints 4th v Earls Barton 2nd, Oundle 3rd v West Haddon & Guilsborough 2nd, Michaels (N) v Overstone Park 3rd, St Michaels 74 v Barton Seagrave.

Division Nine: Bugbrooke v Kempston 2nd, Heyford 2nd v Bowden 2nd, Irchester 2nd v Long Buckby 2nd, Old Grammarians 2nd v Brigstock 2nd, St Crispin & Ryelands 3rd v Abington.

Division 10: Great Houghton 2nd v Brixworth 3rd, Gumley v Hardingstone, Kettering 3rd v Cogenhoe 2nd, Old Wellingburians 2nd v 
Weekley & Warkton 3rd, Wollaston 3rd v Rushden 3rd.

Division 11: Burton Latimer 3rd v Grendon & Prims 2nd, Harlestone 2nd v Higham Ferrers 2nd, Horton House 4th v Geddington 3rd, Little Harrowden v Finedon Dolben 4th, Mears Ashby 2nd v Weldon 2nd.

Division 12: Hardingstone 2nd v St Crispin & Ryelands 4th, Obelisk 2nd v Old Northamptonians 5th, Overstone Park 4th v Bugbrooke 2nd, Thrapston 3rd v Kislingbury 2nd.

Division 13: Barby 3rd v Old Grammarians 3rd, Barton Seagrave 2nd v St Michaels 74 2nd, Brixworth 4th v Spencer Bruerne 2nd, Old 3rd v Irthlingborough Town 3rd, Rushden & Dean Academy v Grange Park, Stony Stratford 4th v Isham Zingari.