The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Magical Mansoor in form with 12 sixes
ZEESHAN Mansoor ensured the 2012 Jaidka Cup started with a bang.
The Barnack batsman clubbed 12 sixes in an innings of 95 not out as his side despatched Yaxley by 50 runs in their first round tie.
“It was awesome, simply awesome,” enthused Barnack skipper Steve Best after his side amassed 192-5 in their 20 overs.
Most of Mansoor’s maximums arrived off the bowling of slow leftarmer Nick Cowley who conceded 61 runs from his four overs to make a mockery of his ‘one to watch’ description in the Evening Telegraph’s first round preview.
Yaxley replied with 142-8 with Stuart Brown finishing unbeaten on 45.
Elsewhere ‘Bruce Almighty’ powered Peterborough Town to an emphatic win over holders Bourne last night.
Lewis Bruce took the opportunity to entertain a decent Bretton Gate crowd by regularly dipping into the biggest shot locker in local cricket.
Cover drives, back foot punches and strong pulls were all in evidence as Bruce finished unbeaten on 54 when Town eased past Bourne’s 113 with eight wickets and 24 balls to spare.
Town were in a little trouble at 17-2, but Bruce and David Clarke (41no) put on an unbroken 99 for the third wicket to see their side home.
Bourne blasted plenty of boundaries themselves, but also displayed suicidal tendencies. ‘Kamikaze’ batting Town skipper Ajaz Akhtar called it as the visitors inevitably followed sixes and fours with a wicket.
Akhtar was treated in dismissive fashion by bang in-form Bourne batter Conrad Louth who hammered him for two sixes and two fours in a two-over spell that cost the captain 26 runs.
But teenage off-spinner Rob Sayer had the shackles on at the other end. He dismissed Ben Stroud first ball and then snared Louth for 25.
Bourne, whose captain and star man Pete Morgan was a late dropout because of work commitments, went on to club six sixes between them (even number 10 Adam Binns smacked paceman Jamie Smith for a straight maximum), but they failed miserably to work the ball around and their final score was never likely to bother a Town batting line-up bursting with talent.
Smith finished with 3-21 to supplement Sayer’s 2-12, while Bruce also picked up two wickets despite bowling below par.
Town now play Wisbech in next week’s quarter-finals after the Fenmen’s 124-run demolition of Ufford Park.
Gary Freear took the man of the match award after following a 48ball 63 (one six, 10 fours) with three wickets in the one over he bowled.
Wisbech piled up 199-4 in their 20 overs and Ben Allsop took four wickets as Ufford were dismissed for just 75.