A young Bucks Mens side put on a bold display, but ended up losing to Northants Steelbacks in their National Counties Showcase Game at Wantage Road on Sunday.

Facing a Northants side, missing only a few of their first-team regulars, Bucks took the positive step of batting first after winning the toss in this 40-over match.

They could not have made a better start. Bucks openers Cameron Hemp and Billy Dodds put on 69 in ten overs. Hemp, in particular, took a liking to the Northants seamers, hitting four sixes and three fours as he raced to 42 off 34 balls. 

The introduction of Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope changed the game.  Bowling straight, he claimed 4-19, including dismissing Hemp and Dodds who made a stylish 35 from 50 balls.

With skipper Alexei Kervezee falling to a caught and bowled, Bucks had slumped to 97-5 at the halfway stage.

Promising teenager Ben Taylor made 24 off 39 balls, but runs were hard to come by and Bucks were ultimately bowled out for 160 in 35.5 overs.

In reply, the Steelbacks slipped to 51-3 and Bucks thought they might be in with a chance. Archie Dodds claimed two wickets, including that of Bucks Cricketer Aadi Sharma.

But experienced first-team regulars James Sales (34) and George Bartlett, who scored 62 not out from 71 balls, with three sixes and two fours, added 80 for the fourth wicket and the hosts eased to a five-wicket victory with 4.1 overs to spare.

Read the Northamptonshire Report here