Biddenham Cricket Club are off the mark in the Premier Division of the Bedfordshire County Cricket League after beating perennial favourites, Flitwick by 76 runs on Sunday (11 May).
Biddenham – who lost by 200 runs on the opening weekend at Lutonian – bounced back in style thanks to an unbeaten 100 from Elliott Byrne, helping his side post 204/8.
Flitwick, who were missing a number of first teamers, could not chase it down.
With Bedfordshire beating Northumberland by 81 runs up north in their third NCCA Trophy Group 1 fixture, Flitwick were without a number of their big hitters and have now lost their opening two games in the BCCL Premier Division.
They missed out on the league title to Lutonian last season but went unbeaten in scoring 409 points to collect the trophy in 2023 and they were once again among the favourites to win this year.
The start of their season has been hampered by an influx of Bedfordshire call-ups however, and they were pinned back for the second time in as many weeks; this time by newly-promoted, Biddenham.
Batting first, Biddenham crept over the 200 mark thanks in large to Byrne’s century, ably assisted by captain Sam Kumar’s 42 but Flitwick were soon in trouble at 25/4 in response.
Carl Ferguson’s 28 helped stop the rot for a small period, but consistent wickets continued to fall as Flitwick were dismissed for just 128 inside 28 overs.
Queens Park Westfield’s 1st XI are also in the Premier Division, but have also lost their two opening fixtures as they succumbed by 4 wickets at Biggleswade.
A total of 175/8 – with Sikander Rizwan (36) top scoring – was not enough to defend as Jarod Francis’ 46 helped Biggleswade to their target with a little over three overs to spare.
Bedford win big
Bedford Cricket Club’s 1st XI were back in the winner’s enclosure in emphatic style on Sunday, winning big again in thrashing New Bradwell by 159 runs.
Batting first, Bedford bettered last week with a total of 281/8 in their 40 overs, as Jonny Dove (67) and captain, Rohit Mehmi (52) shared a third-wicket partnership of 102 before some brutal late hitting from Adbul Qafazi, who scored 56 off 26 balls including six sixes.
New Bradwell started their chase serenely and left themselves with too much to do in the second half of the innings, eventually collapsing to 122 all out with Arjun Manku picking up 5-20.
Both Ickwell, who were relegated from the Premier Division last season, and Bedford are on the maximum 60 points after two games, while Ampthill Town are in third on 57 in these early stages.
Iqbal 7-fer
Queens Park Westfield’s 2nd XI fared far better than their firsts; bowling Hertfordshire side, Preston out for just 40 with opening bowler, Aqib Iqbal taking 7 wickets for just 9 runs.
Needless to say, Queens Park won handsomely by nine wickets inside just seven overs, with the club’s 3rd XI also winning comfortably in Division Three, chasing down Milton Bryan’s 108 for the loss of a single wicket.
Queens Park Westfield’s 4th XI were also victors in Division Six, beating Biggleswade 2nd XI by 84 runs.
Bedford CC’s 2nd XI were also looking for back-to-back victories in Division Four, but came unstuck at Rising Stars Milton Keynes, losing heavily by 150 runs.
Rising Stars posted 231/9 with two wickets apiece for Hafeez Rehman, Syed Ali Shah and Muhammad Imran but were then bowled out for just 81 in response, leaving their opponents top of the table with two wins from two.
Bedford Cricket Club Women’s XI were also in action in the Hertfordshire Women’s Cricket League Premiership, but have lost their first two encounters against Ampthill and Harpenden.
Ampthill chased down a meagre Bedford total of 79/6 last weekend (4 May) but not without their scares as they lost 8 wickets en route, and there was an equally narrow defeat on Sunday as Harpenden beat Bedford by just 21 runs.
