Biggleswade's midweek cricketers booked themselves a berth against Ickwell next week in the semi-final of the Hospital Cup following a comfortable seven wicket win against Elstow on Tuesday night.

The cup holders were always in control after Martin Whinnett (1-16) bowled opener Simon Morrall for a duck and while Tom Wisson (31) and Matt Stevens (26) were the other batsmen capable of adding quick runs, Matthew Twigg (3-15), Jay Szwajbak (3-30) and Chris Asque (0-23) restricted them to 89-9 after their 16 overs.

In reply opener Kevin Wright (20) and Jimmy Hart (14) put on 30 for the first wicket while Tariq Ahmad (25) and Whinnett (20 not out) helped the Town to a winning 91-3 total off 13.5 overs.

Some 24 hours earlier in the other Hospital Cup quarter-final tie, Ickwell came through to beat Thurleigh by ten runs in an evenly-contested Monday night thriller to book their place in the semis.

Batting first, Ickwell's innings was dominated by opener Jon Cole-Edwardes who was the third man out when he was bowled by R Steen for 51 with the score on 82.

A couple of well struck sixes by Paul Heads and Adrian Ratcliffe helped them to finish with 123-5 from their 16 overs.

When Thurleigh came to bat they got off to a good start and after seven overs were within one run of Ickwell's score at the same stage but without loss.

Asif Hussain's very first ball dismissed C Wood as he took a return catch and in his next over he took another two wickets to put Ickwell in charge.

In the next there was more trouble for the visitors as Steen was brilliantly run out by a direct hit on the stumps from the narrowest of angles by Ross Fensome.

And in this same over Adrian Ratcliffe clean bowled Bailey to leave the visitors on 63-5 with only 32 balls remaining – and still needing 61 runs to win.

The next over from Ratcliffe yielded 17 runs and the game became more evenly-balanced again. But despite the best efforts of Arch and Milne, Thurleigh eventually fell short by ten runs in what had been an enthralling contest.

The winners of the Biggleswade v Ickwell semi – which should be played at Fairfield on Tuesday, July 1 – will face either Westfield or the winners of the Queens Park versus St Neots quarter-final at Bedford Modern School on Tuesday, July 8. The Westfield semi is due to be played on Thursday, July 3.