After
opting to bowl first on a scorching afternoon and a faultless track, skipper Jon
Lown’s decision paid early dividends as left-arm paceman Gary Helm snared two
wickets in his opening over. But this was to be as good as it got for some time,
as opener Intikhab set about the Ley Hill attack with a devastating display of
clinical hitting. After fluking his first thirty odd runs with a succession of
edges, Intikhab edged Helm to slip, where Dave Peterson lunged for the ball-
just as it crossed the rope at third man. It was to be his only chance, as he
thundered his way to a century from just 61 balls out of a team total of 120. He
eventually hammered 157 from 97 balls. After he had holed out off Peterson,
wickets tumbled and Helm completed a five wicket haul, leaving Ley Hill with a
target of 267 from 53 overs for victory. 
After
some diabolical curried egg sandwiches prepared by Craig Ottaway, Hill began the
chase in confident mood, and called it off about five minutes later with three
men back in the hut. Tom Holman, Ian Birkett and Martin Leadbitter lasted three
balls apiece, and Hill could only seek to gather batting points and play for a
draw. Jon Lown hit 42 and Nick Lee 25, but only a late flurry from Craig Ottaway
(30 not out) brought Hill to 135 all out, the last wicket falling with 10 overs
still remaining. Bucks CC: 267 all out (Helm 5 for 56)
Ley Hill: 135 all out (Lown 42, Ottaway 30*)
Ley Hill lost by 132 runs
Man of the match: Gary Helm for an excellent five-wicket haul (though not for a tame golden duck)
Clown of the match: Dave Peterson, whose early missing of Intikhab cost a mere 130 runs
Click here for the scorecard