Bruce warns his players of

Peterborough Town skipper Lewis Bruce has hailed professional Paul McMahon as the best player in the club’s history. McMahon’s brilliance on East Midlands Final day last weekend propelled Town into the national Twenty/20 quarterfinals for the third time in four years

If Town win at Essex Premier League side Wanstead this Sunday (August 24) they will reach National Finals day at the Northampton County Ground, a day covered live on Sky television.

And if McMahon remains in form there’s every chance of further success.

Last weekend he followed an unbeaten 85 (40 balls) in a 30-run semi-final win over hosts Ockbrook & Borrowash - the current Derbyshire Premier League leaders - with an astonishing 95 not out (48 balls) against a star-studded West Indian Cavaliers team which included former Test players Saqlain Mushtaq and Usman Afzaal as well as five other players with experience of first-class cricket.

“Paul is the best player I’ve ever played with in my club and county career,” Bruce enthused.

“His entire approach to the game is faultless whether he’s batting, bowling or fielding, and even off the field his attitude is spot on.

“It’s incredible that’s he’s not still playing county cricket. There can’t be too many players out there with his ability or intelligence.

“He turns it on in the big games as well. Last year he was the main reason we won the East Midlands Finals and it was the same this season.

“It was an amazing win West Indian Cavaliers U. Afzaal c M. Milner b Bruce ........................... 48 G. Hussain c Dawborn b Bruce ......................... 34 A. Patel b Kendall .................................................3 B. Shafayat c Clarke b Kendall ............................ 6 A. Thomas c French b Kendall ............................ 8 A. Yaqoob b Bruce ............................................... 1 P. Gada b Sayer ..................................................25 P. Sidhu b Dawborn ............................................ 6 K. Shaffique c Howard b Dawborn ......................2 S. Mushtaq b Dawborn ..................................... 22 D. Williams not out ............................................. 0

Extras 11 TOTAL 166 Bowling: D. Sayer 4-0-40-1; J. Dawborn 3.5-033-3; P. McMahon 4-0-30-0; L. Bruce 4-0-24-3; R. Kendall 4-0-32-3. Peterborough Town A. Butt c Thomas b Patel ..................................... 0 D. Clarke c Williamson b Hussain ....................... 8 C. French b Patel ................................................ 8 P. McMahon not out ......................................... 95 L. Bruce c Patel b Saqlain ...................................11 M. Howard not out ............................................25

Extras 23 TOTAL (4 wkts) 170 Bowling: A. Patel 4-0-33-2; G. Hussain 2-0-7-0; S. Mushtaq 4-0-40-1; K. Shaffique 3.2-0-37-0; U. Afzaal 2-0-21-0; B. Shafayat 3-0-23-0. considering the strength of the Cavaliers team on paper. They have a lot of players with strong CVs, but maybe some of our players like Joe Dawborn and David Sayer have their first-class futures in front of them.

“They were both outstanding at the weekend, but we will need others to step up at Wanstead and I’m sure they will.

“I don’t know a lot about Wanstead, but they came through a tough finals day in Norfolk so they can’t be mugs.

“I’m hoping this is our time to get through to the National Finals. The consistency we have shown in a format of the game that is so unpredictable is pretty amazing.

“We’ve lost at home twice at this stage so maybe playing away will suit us.”

Town were 17-3 in the final Peterborough Town A. Butt b Birds ...................................................26 D. Clarke run out .............................................. 46 C. French lbw Ratcliffe ......................................33 P. McMahon not out ......................................... 85 L. Bruce not out .................................................. 6

Extras 10 TOTAL (3 wkts) 206 Bowling: D. Corcoran 4-0-33-0; L. Hurst 4-042-0; N. Birds 4-0-37-1; L. Wharton 3-0-40-0; J. Ratcliffe 4-0-42-1; A. Dixon 1-0-10-0. Ockbrook & Borrowash M. Cassar c Bruce b Sayer ................................. 8 A. Dixon lbw McMahon ..................................... 18 C. Keeble b Dawborn .......................................... 0 J. Ratcliffe c Clarke b Bruce .............................. 27 J. Conners run out ............................................33 G. Brandrick c M. Milner b McMahon ................ 16 D. Mitchell b Kendall .......................................... 14 D. Corcoran st C. Milner b Bruce ...................... 12 L. Hurst b Dawborn ........................................... 17 N. Birds not out .................................................. 9 L. Wharton not out ..............................................2

Extras 20 TOTAL (9 wkts) 176 Bowling: D. Sayer 4-0-26-1; J. Dawborn 4-0-262; P. McMahon 4-0-30-2; L. Bruce 4-0-40-2; R. Kendall 3-0-31-1; C. French 1-0-14-0. chasing 166, but McMahon added an unbeaten 103 in just 55 balls with teenager Marcus Howard for the fifth wicket.

Earlier Bruce (3-24) had sparked a mini-collapse just when the Cavaliers looked set to post a huge score by reaching 70-0 from just eight overs.

Richard Kendall - a secondteam bowler on Saturdays - claimed three victims, all of whom had first-class experience including Bilal Shafayat who has over 7,000 career runs at that level.

Sixteen year- old Sayer bowled beautifully in both matches without much luck.

But it was McMahon’s day. He struck 12 sixes in total, six in each innings.

For a full report on East Midlands Final day visit www.peterboroughtoday. co.uk/cricket Peterborough Town players have been warned not to take their eye off the ball when they host Finedon in the Northants Premier Division at Bretton Gate on Saturday (noon).

Town’s wonderful weekend started l ast Saturday when they extended their lead at the top of the table to 23 points.

Town beat Wollaston by four wickets while sole challengers Rushton were surprisingly being held to a draw by lowly Stony Stratford.

But Finedon, the best side in the competition before Town assumed control in 2012, are one of several dan- gerous opponents Town still have to play.

“Finedon were never likely to win the league this season,” Town skipper Lewis Bruce stated. “But they are a proud and competitive club who would love nothing better than to beat us so we have to be fully focussed.