Biddenham Cricket Club came out on top yesterday (Sunday 19th June) in a high-scoring game against Bedford at The Bury, as Biddenham joined the hunt for promotion from Division One of the Bedfordshire League.
Just 14 points separate league leaders, New Bradwell and sixth-placed Lutonians in Bedfordshire cricket’s second tier in a division that is becoming highly competitive and full of quality.
Bates ton rescues Biddenham after dire start
Biddenham, batting first, set a tough target of 275 with Will Bates’ 100 steering his team to a competitive total; made all the better after he came to the wicket with his side at 8-3.
Bates and Sam Kumar (62) set about the recovery and did so in style with a century partnership that scuppered Bedford’s fast start, while Ross Cunningham (31) hit some late blows to take Biddenham up to 275.
That chase would have been a Bedford Cricket Club record, but at the halfway stage they looked like favourites thanks in large to a stunning knock of 112 from Rohan Mehmi.
Mehmi, who is the 1st XI captain at Bedford School, mixed classy drives with a smattering of innovative scoops to reach his century before the drinks break and put Bedford in a commanding position of 163-1 after twenty overs.
A flurry of middle order wickets halted their charge though, as Amarpal Singh, Huw Turner and Cunningham took three wickets apiece to eventually bowl Bedford out for 242, winning by 33 runs.
Bedford’s Sunday 2nd XI have toiled of late in Division Four, but claimed their second victory of the season by 26 runs at fellow strugglers Langford.
Henry Faulkner’s 118 was the anchor in a Bedford innings of 241-8 and while Langford threatened to chase it down, they fell 26 runs short finishing on 215-7.
The Saturday 1st XI are just one point off the promotion places in Division Four of the Northamptonshire Cricket League after their game against table-topping Wellingborough was abandoned on Saturday due to persistent rain.
Juniors through to double cup final
Bedford Cricket Club’s juniors have started the season well, with the Under 15’s and Under 13’s both reaching their respective Bedfordshire County Cup finals.
The Under 15’s squeezed past Ampthill by seven runs on Monday night as they managed to defend 117; Ampthill’s Abigail Butcher the stand out bowler with 3-7.
Rohit Mehmi and Mohammed Ali both secured two wickets apiece and despite 40 from Ameer Ali for Ampthill, they fell just short of the target.
The Under 13’s defended a similarly low score at Elstow as they go on to face Lutonians in the final.
Bedford stuttered their way to 109 off their twenty overs but Elstow could not match it as they fell for just 73; Bedford winning by 36 runs.
Elsewhere, the Under 15’s were also in league action, with the ‘A’ side keeping up their 100% record with an eight wicket victory against Blunham, while the ‘B’ side stay in third after losing to second placed Ampthill.
The Under 11 County ‘A’ side scored big runs on Sunday morning as they despatched Harrold by 106 runs after posting a mighty 228-6 off their allocation.
The ‘B’ side were also comfortable victors by eight wickets against Queens Park.
The Women return to league action this week with their return fixture against Hitchin Cricket Club taking place this evening, (Monday) with a 6.30pm start at The Bury.
Tom Carr is a player and volunteer for Bedford Cricket Club
