Beds vs Herts, Very close and exciting finish
MCCA Championship, Eastern Division
Bedfordshire vs Hertfordshire
Sunday, 18th July to Tuesday, 20th July 2010
Bedford School, start 1100hrs
Bedfordshire won by 18 runs.
Points: Beds 24; Herts 6
Bedfordshire First innings 419 all out. A M Reynoldson 132, M W Weightman 73. J E Southgate 6 for 133.
Herts First innings 249 all out. D J Blacktopp 73, G R Brown 50. A B Shepherd 3 for 54.
Beds Second innings 266 for 8 declared. M J Barnes 89, G R Thurstance 88. J E Southgate 5 for 73.
Herts Second innings 417 all out. A S Lewis 168, S R W Gale 74, J E Southgate 58, W D Rudge 53. A B Shepherd 4 for 92.
First Day
Bedfordshire won the toss and elected to bat making 418 all out in 90 overs.
Hertfordshire were missing four senior players from the team that had played in the Trophy Semi-Final the previous weekend. Bedfordshire had a young side that batted very well. Andy Reynoldson scored 132 and 18-year-old Martin Weightman made 73. Captain Ollie Clayson contributed a valuable 50.
Hertfordshire stuck to their task and were rewarded with Jamie Southgate taking six wickets for 133 runs. The last six Bedfordshire wickets fell for 24 runs in 29 balls so at least Herts got maximum bowling points.
With 16 overs left in the day for Herts to bat disaster struck in the gathering gloom and they closed on 77 runs for five wickets. This will make things difficult for Herts to make a game of it.
Second Day
After a bad start to the innings the previous evening Herts dug in and reached a respectable, in the circumstances, 249 all out, a Beds lead of 169 but the follow-on was not enforced. Dan Blacktopp, celebrating his return to the County side, top-scored with 73 ably supported by another returning player Gary Brown (50). Will Rudge again chipped in with a valuable 26 at the bottom of the order.
Herts then worked steadily away at the Beds batting after an impressive opening stand of 178 between George Thurstance (88) and Matt Barnes (89) which put Beds in control. The Herts fielding and bowling was much improved and wickets fell in a regular procession and Beds declared on 266 for 8. That left Herts a tricky four overs to navigate before the close which they did safely.
Herts now have the task of scoring 421 to win in the third day with a minimum of 102 overs remaining. A tall order but should make for an interesting day’s cricket.
Third Day
The good start that Herts wanted so badly as they took on the daunting task of scoring 436 to win did not materialise as David Alleyne (20), Eddie Ballard (0) and Dan Blacktopp (0) all fell quickly. Then Steve Gale (74) and Jamie Southgate (59) led the fight back with a century partnership. As Steve Gale was out for a fine 74 Captain Andy Lewis took up the cudgel or rather the rapier as he scored a wonderful 168. One of the Beds management team was heard to say that it was the finest Minor Counties innings he had ever seen.
Will Rudge (53) gave Andy Lewis good support but with the last three wickets falling to the new ball the fight was over. Alan Shepherd was the Beds bowler who did the most damage with five wickets for 92 runs – a match haul of 8 wickets for 146 runs.
But victory was elusive once again as Herts lost by 18 runs, heartbreaking after getting so close for the second match running.
The next Minor Counties Championship match against Staffordshire C C C starts on Sunday, 1st August 2010 at Long Marston C C starting at 1100hrs.
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