Milton Keynes arrived as the runaway leaders of the Central Conference, and for a while they looked every bit the part. But the Gold squad have spent this season learning how to hang in tight games, and this doubleheader was the day some of that hard graft finally paid off.

Game One
NHC 4 – MKA 8 LOSS

The opener followed a familiar shape. Northants competed but couldn't quite string enough together against a Bucks side that has made a habit of finding the extra run when it matters. Four runs was not enough this time, and Milton Keynes took the first game 8–4. No shame in a tight-ish loss to the conference's front-runners — but the Centurions clearly felt there was more in the tank.

Game Two
NHC 17 – MKA 16 WIN

And out it came. Game two was a proper slugfest, the kind of back-and-forth afternoon that leaves everyone on the sideline hoarse. Both teams piled on runs, but this time it was Northants who held the razor's edge, edging it 17–16. After a season in which the cruellest arithmetic in baseball — the one-run defeat — has gone against the Gold more than once, it was only right that a one-run margin finally landed in their favour, and against the division's best side no less. A genuine highlight of the campaign and a result to build on.

Division 5 — Northants Centurions 2

The Maroon squad were not in action this Sunday. Their Division 5 East doubleheader against Essex Redbacks has been rescheduled, so we'll look forward to catching up with the Centurions 2 when that fixture is replayed.

Plenty to be proud of this week — a spirited split against the conference's best team from the Gold squad, taking a game off the division leaders in the process. Onwards to next Sunday.