Bedford Cricket Club’s Sunday 1st XI injected life into their Bedfordshire County Cricket League Division One title battle with a comfortable five-wicket victory at Dunstable Town 2nd XI, while title rivals Ickwell lost a nervy affair at Ampthill Town.
The results leave Bedford just two points behind leaders, Ickwell although the latter have a game in hand ahead of a crunch tie between the two teams next Sunday (10 August).
Defeat last week left Bedford chasing the tails of long time leaders, Ickwell but Sunday’s results have tightened the gap once more.
Bedford, travelling to relegation threatened Dunstable Town 2nd XI, took control of the game thanks to their bowling performance as five of their six bowlers took a brace of wickets apiece to dismiss the hosts for just 129.
Despite regular wickets, the target was never enough and – led by captain, Rohit Mehmi’s unbeaten 44 – Bedford sailed home in comfortable fashion with 18 overs to spare.
Ickwell lost a tight affair by 16 runs at third placed, Ampthill Town who are not out of the title hunt just yet.
Heavy Premier League losses
Both Biddenham and Queen’s Park Westfield suffered heavy losses in the top tier, with Biddenham’s brief look at a title challenge fading as quickly as it started.
They lost by 142 runs at Southill Park; the hosts posting a target of 237/5 with Hitesh Chauhan top scoring with 56, and it was game over when Biddenham were reduced to 25/5 in response with Navin Chodha eventually top scoring with 32 in a Biddenham total of 95.
Queens Park Westfield were equally inept with bat in hand as they were skittled for just 47 against Flitwick, who themselves were only defending 102 on the unpredictability of an Allen Park surface.
4-23 for Aamir Younis did the majority of the damage with the ball for Queen’s Park and they would have been favourites at the halfway stage, only to fall to a heavy defeat as Nabil Moughal took 6-24 for Flitwick, who lift themselves out of the relegation zone.
Queen’s Park 2nds reach the summit
Queen’s Park’s 2nd XI were however victors in their Division Two encounter and leapfrogged Stony Stratford to the top of the league in the process, winning their clash by 52 runs.
Muhammad Kamran’s 31-ball 57 helped Queen’s Park up to a respectable 198/9 and with opening bowler, Adil Ali (4-37) striking early, Stratford were reduced to 26/5 and despite a late rally, could not overhaul their target.
Harrold remain in the title chase back in third after after a five-wicket win against Lutonian’s 2nd XI as Jamie Welch and Tom Nicol both picked up three wickets apiece in dismissing Lutonian for 116.
Harrold lost five wickets in response, but Frederick Linsey’s late burst of 44 not out helped his team across the line.
Queen’s Park Westfield’s 3rd XI were unable to defend 152 against Lutonian’s 3rd XI in Division Three, while Bedford’s 2nd XI maintained their own title challenge in Division Four with a nervy three-wicket triumph at bottom side, Dunstable Town 3rd XI.
Dunstable posted 181/9, thanks in large to Paras Keshav’s 54 but he was outgunned by Bedford opener, Manish Kumar who lead his team home with an unbeaten 79, while Riju George also calmed nerves with late hitting for his 37-ball 58.
Harrold’s 2nd XI were victors in Division Six as they ran through Blunham to dismiss them for just 66 to win by 119 runs, while Queen’s Park Westfield 4th XI won in much tighter fashion – by a single wicket at Flitwick 4th XI – to remain top by one point.
Elstow 2nd XI are still struggling towards the bottom of the division after an eight-wicket loss against Cople.
