Biddenham Cricket Club are up to fourth in the Premier Division of the Bedfordshire County Cricket League as their impressive start to life in the top tier continued with a 21-run victory over struggling Flitwick – the second time they have beaten them already this season.
Last season’s runners-up and 2023 champions, Flitwick have now lost five out of five and are already adrift at the bottom of the league as Luton Town and Indians set the early pace with four wins and a solitary defeat.
Read: Biddenham CC bounce back from dire opening weekend to beat favourites Flitwick
Three wins from their opening five represents an excellent return for the division’s newest side, Biddenham who squeezed past Flitwick for the second time on the first day of June.
They posted 201/9 from their 40 overs with opener Abhilash Pandey top scoring with a swift 44, supported by Sam Kumar (30) and a vitally important 22 from number eleven batter, Abiraj Kunjimol, securing the extra bonus point at the death.
Flitwick had some of their minor counties players return after an extended stint in NCCA action throughout May but the home side lost consistent wickets, with Ross Cunningham (3-31) and Kunjimol picking up three apiece.
One of those Bedfordshire players was Jake Tarling who scored 50, but when he was the seventh Flitwick wicket to fall, their chase crumbled, ending 21 runs short to consign them to a fifth straight league defeat.
Queens Park Westfield sit in mid table after crumbling to 92 all out, chasing a good Biggleswade total of 202/6 at Allen Park.
Jarod Francis’ 74 from 76 balls anchored the Biggleswade innings, despite two wickets for Wajahat Ali, but the Queens Park chase never reached second gear as they fell to a comfortable 110-run loss.
Bedford CC four from four
Bedford Cricket Club’s excellent start to their season in Division One continued as they faced New Bradwell for the second time this season, beating them again by 28 runs at Bradwell Road.
The encounter was a far closer affair than May’s 159-run battering at The Bury, but Bedford once again gained maximum batting points in posting 228/9.
Isaac Vincent-Emery top scored with 50, while captain Rohit Mehmi contributed again with 38 with Ryan Chambers hitting a crucial unbeaten 37 from 29 balls at the end to catapult Bedford to a competitive total.
Rylan Sellers (5-27) was the stand out for Bedford with ball in hand, despite Josh Hobson’s 44 as New Bradwell lost their fourth game in five, while Bedford are in a three-way battle for the lead with both Ickwell and Ampthill; the latter having played a game more.
Bedford’s 2nd XI also won, beating MK Rising Stars in Division Four by 36 runs.
Their first innings total of 197/9 was notable for a crucial last wicket partnership of 63 between Michael Jones (35 not out) and Finley Evans (31 not out) with both going on to get two wickets as Rising Stars fell for 161. Bedford remain fourth.
Hussain 8-fer
In Division Two, Harrold scored back-to-back wins with a tense three wicket victory against Stony Stratford.
Harrold – assisted by a whopping 47 wides – posted 177/7, with Charlie Gordon (4-40) doing the majority of the damage in the wickets column as they rise to fourth.
In second are Queens Park Westfield’s 2nd XI, after they defeated Preston by 45 runs in Hertfordshire. Aqib Iqbal (3-18) added to his impressive wicket taking tally so far this season, alongside 3-9 from Ameer Hamza.
Queens Park’s 3rd XI were also victorious as they cleaned up Milton Bryan for just 48 in Division Three, with Shafiq Hussain surely gaining a place on the national honours board for the week with incredible figures of 8-15.
The 4th XI lost out in Division Six by two wickets against Biggleswade’s 2nd XI, while Harrold’s 2nd XI also lost in the same division at Flitwick 4th XI.
Elsewhere, Kempston Hammers faced an onslaught from Wolverton Town in Division Five as Kashif Gulzar and Ahmed Mujtba scored unbeaten centuries in a Wolverton total of 293/2, with Kempston falling for 170 in response.
