Desborough hoping for more than just survival

Desborough are back in the top flight for the first time since being relegated in 2009 after winning the Division One title last year and they have made a solid start.

Last weekend’s four-wicket success over Brixworth made it back-to-back wins for Pollard’s team and it was debutant Joe Gordon, who previously played at Market Harborough, who was the star of the show.

He claimed figures of 5-20 as Brixworth were dismissed for just 92 before Wayne Steed (25no) sent Desborough to victory on 93-6.

And it has left the boys from West Lodge Park sitting in a comfortable mid-table position in the early stages.

“With the facilities and youth set-up we have got, we feel we should be pushing to become an established Premier Division club,” captain Pollard said.

“We want to try to do more than just stay up this season. We need to be aiming a bit higher and look more towards the mid-table area.

“There are some good youngsters coming through and we need to make sure there is a Premier Division club here for them.

“It’s been a decent start for us. We have bowled pretty well in the last couple of weeks and that was without Joe, who wasn’t available early on. So with him now on board, we are looking in even better shape.”

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Brigstock maintained their fine start to the season with a seven-wicket success at Oundle.

Conor Craig (78) was the only home batsman to put up any resistance as Tashwin Lukas (5-62) took the bowling honours to help dismiss Oundle for just 130.

Brigstock were reduced to 46-3 in reply but Patrick Croker (43no) and George Groenland (37no) put on an unbroken stand to see them over the line on 132-3.

Defending champions Finedon Dolben made it two wins in a row as they beat Horton House by 60 runs.

Greig Hofbauer struck a superb unbeaten 114 from 110 balls and he put on an unbroken stand of 169 with Jack Chopping (53no) to enable Finedon to declare on 276-5 after 45 overs.

Horton opener Ewan Cox (80) scored well in the reply but the hosts were eventually dismissed on 216 with Chris Todd (3-25) and Chopping (3-31) performing well with the ball.

Brad Armer hit his maiden Northants League Premier Division century as Geddington enjoyed a fine 88-run success over Northampton Saints.

Armer crashed 122 and shared big stands with Andrew Reynoldson (50) and Jack Parker (43) as Geddington set a big total of 266-4.

And, despite Emilio Gay hitting 69 for Saints, they fell well short of the target on 178 as Chris Murdoch (3-23) and George Parker (3-61) led the Geddington attack.

Rushden picked up their second win of the season but it was a close-run thing as they beat Wollaston by one wicket.

Batting first, Wollaston were dismissed for 171 with Chris Perry (57) leading the way while Chris Law was the star performer with the ball as he returned figures of 5-21.

Liam Gough (44) and Chanaka Ruwansiri (47) looked to have Rushden on course on 118-2 but a collapse followed as Shea Gribben (4-48) and Andrew Kowal (3-22) put Wollaston in with a real chance.

However, William Bates (24no) held his nerve to edge Rushden over the line on 172-9.

Irthlingborough produced a fine run chase as they inflicted a first defeat of the season on Wellingborough Town in Division One.

The early leaders, who had won their first three matches of the campaign, were looking good at the halfway stage as Darren Trotter (50no) and Tom Howes (50) led them to 238-8.

But Irthlingborough responded well with Craig Fowler (55) and Martin Hills (55) laying the foundations before Neil White added 40. And they eventually got to the target on 239-6 in the 44th over.

Weekley & Warkton are sitting pretty in third place after an incredible display with the ball sent them to a 120-run success over Old Northamptonians 2nd.

Weekley were bowled out for 152 with only Jacob Palmer (36) and James Smith (22) making it past 20 as Waqar Ali took 5-39 for the visitors.

But ONs collapsed to 32 all out in the reply with no batsman making it into double figures as Smith (5-10) and Michael Evans (4-18) tore through the order.

Loddington & Mawsley are the only unbeaten side in the division but they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in their latest outing against Earls Barton.

Batting first, the visitors reached 182-9 with Tom Mills (52), Leigh Sheridan (43) and Matt Nel (37) scoring well while Nick Herbert (3-24) and Ben Roberts (3-35) were the pick of the Loddington bowlers.

Andrew Flint (32), Martin Prowse (30) and Josh Plowright (30) all made starts in the reply but no-one was able to go on and, with James McDermott and Sheridan taking three wickets each, Loddington were forced to settle for the draw on 159-8.

Elsewhere, there were defeats for Burton Latimer and Kettering against Kislingbury and Stony Stratford respectively.