After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Burghley’s opening bowlers, Peter Ruffell and Xavier Wildsmith, made life uncomfortable for the Scunthorpe openers, regularly beating the edge but unable to make the breakthrough. The introduction of Sam Potter and James Laud soon paid dividends, with Laud dismissing Chaudhary (39), caught at square leg by Wildsmith, and Potter bowling Conroy for 26.

However, a mammoth 192-run partnership between Sam Jarvis and Priyanshu Khanduri tilted the game firmly in Scunthorpe’s favour. Jarvis played the anchor role, compiling 76 from 109 deliveries, while the Indian professional, Khanduri, produced a faultless innings, reaching yet another Lincs Prem century. He was finally dismissed for 124 from 93 balls, bowled by Wildsmith as he attempted an audacious reverse ramp. Scunthorpe closed their innings at 283 for 3, although at one stage, a total of 300 had looked on the cards.

Burghley’s reply got off to a disastrous start. Both Ryan Gilmour and Mike Hobbiss fell caught behind to George Drewery and Tom Shepherd respectively, leaving the score at 5 for 2. James Laud and Pete Foster steadied the ship, moving the score towards 50 before Foster was bowled by just the second ball of Sam Jarvis’s spell for 12. Sam Potter also contributed 12 before being bowled by Khanduri, but a partnership between Laud and Olly Billington offered Burghley some hope. Laud passed his half-century, and together with Billington, took the total to 165.

When Khanduri bowled Billington for 33 and Callum Mann breached the defences of Ewan Williams for 12, Burghley were still 95 runs adrift of their target. Skipper Alex Ashwin joined Laud, who reached his first century of the season with a display full of class and patience. With the required run rate creeping up towards 10 an over, the duo were forced to take more risks. The introduction of Harry Doyle saw Laud’s fine innings end at 108, and with his dismissal, Burghley’s chances of a successful chase faded. Ashwin added 25 before Tom Shepherd wrapped up the innings in the same over, claiming the final three wickets—Wildsmith caught by Khanduri, Ruffell bowled, and Ashwin caught behind. Burghley were bowled out for 235.

Attention now turns to a trip to Bourne next weekend.

This match was sponsored by Stamford Schools.