Bedford Cricket Club’s Women’s XI beat Luton Town and Indians on Friday night (16 August) to win the first ever East Beds Shield Knockout Cup as the charity competition completed its final tournament.
The series of East Beds Charity Shield competitions aim to raise money for a number of local charities, with the King’s Arms Project and Headway Bedford beneficiaries of the £7,400 total raised throughout last season’s competitions.
Five Women’s sides took part in the competition, and Bedford were one of the few not to get a bye, as they beat both Ampthill Cricket Club and Flitwick Cricket Club en route to Friday’s final.
They then made light work of Luton Town and Indians in the final of the eight-a-side competition, fielding first and proceeding to bowl Luton out for just 42 with the in-form, Deepa Thanthrige securing 5-5 with ball in hand.
Octavia Cavill’s unbeaten 19 set Bedford on the way to their target, although Safa Ghafar, Kate Mutter and Ria Khetia picked up wickets for the hosts.
It completed a successful opening Women’s tournament for the charity, with the Women’s game growing at a sparkling rate across the County; Bedford Cricket Club were back in action on Sunday in the Home Counties League.
They lost out to a strong St Margaretsbury side from Hertfordshire who will more than likely go on to claim the league title.
Youngsters in action
A Representative Shield XI won the charity’s opening tournament back in June, claiming the Butcher Shield while Eaton Socon claimed the Heritage Cup but there is also an Under-18 competition alongside the main event of the Charity Shield.
Ampthill Town were the winners of the knockout competition, beating Flitwick in the final on 13th August by 7 wickets.
Flitwick batted first and amassed 110-7 from their 16 overs; Rishi Roopchand top scoring with 38 while the Ampthill bowlers were all in the wickets but Thomas Lunnon’s unbeaten 51 helped Ampthill to the trophy with two balls remaining.
Other winners in the East Beds Charity Shield include Blunham who beat Bedford Pakistanis to the Senior Shield and Southill Park who won the Junior equivalent.
The calculators now come out to tot up the final fundraising total after another successful season of charity cricket in Bedfordshire, ahead of the annual ceremony to hand out the donations to a series of charities across the county.
You can check out all the final scores and winners at the East Beds Charity Cricket Shield play-cricket website here.
