Clayson heroics can't save Bedfordshire
County fall to narrow Cambridgeshire defeat
Not even another swashbuckling century from skipper Oliver Clayson, his third of the season, could bring about a fourth miraculous win in a row for Bedfordshire on Tuesday.
Having chased scores of 401 and 381 to beat Staffordshire and Northumberland and then bowled out Hertfordshire 18 runs short of a target of 435, Bedfordshire succumbed to a 51-run defeat to Cambridgeshire in March.
Having been set 335 to win, Bedfordshire were dismissed 51 short, but not before Clayson had played one of the great innings of all time in Minor County cricket.
Refusing to accept defeat as wickets tumbled around him, the Bedfordshire captain hammered six sixes and 14 fours and was 156 not out when Cambridgeshire completed victory.
Even when last man Colin Griggs came to the crease with 97 runs needed, Clayson still had victory rather than a draw in mind, hitting off-spinner McMahon for three successive sixes in one over.
Clayson's heroics may ultimately have been in vain, but Bedfordshire's hopes of winning the Eastern Division title are still alive.
In fact, any one of four counties can claim the crown when the final round of matches starts on Sunday, August 15, because remarkably the top four are all involved in games against each other.
Suffolk, who head the table, are away to in-form Cumberland who are fourth, while Bedfordshire, currently third, take on second-placed Lincolnshire at Grantham, with just 13 points separating first from fourth.
As so often happens, the result at March on Tuesday probably hinged on an umpiring decision.
After Bedfordshire had lost three wickets for 48, Clayson and 17-year-old James Kettleborough took complete control with a partnership of 106.
And the Cambridgeshire bowling attack was looking deflated when a ball from paceman James Williams appeared to brush against Kettleborough's legs on its way through to wicketkeeper Chris Budd.
The umpire, though, decided that bat had been involved and Kettleborough was on his way.
Oliver Swann and Matt Barnes followed for the addition of just two more runs and, although George Arblaster shared in a partnership of 62, he was run out for 20.
However, even that might not have been the case had there been a third umpire and television replays.
After that it was left to Clayson to play a magnificent, lone hand.
In overcast conditions Clayson had decided to field after winning the toss on the first morning and was rewarded when Cambridgeshire slumped to 175-8.
This was mainly due to a remarkable spell of bowling from veteran Will Sneath, brought into the side when teenager George Bacon was called up by Nottinghamshire seconds.
The Cambridgeshire tail wagged though and, although Bedfordshire took maximum bowling points, a score of 300 was considerably more than had looked likely. Sneath finished with the magnificent figures of 6-69 from 30.1 overs.
Bedfordshire lost Kettleborough early on when they replied and Swann soon followed, but George Thurstance and Andy Reynoldson looked in little trouble until Reynoldson called Thurstance for a sharp single in the penultimate over of the day and the Bedford Modern School batsman failed to make his ground and was run out for 31.
Reynoldson went for 37 the following morning, which let in Clayson to play a shorter version of what was to follow in the second innings.
He raced to 67 before attempting one ambitious shot too many and although Arblaster made 25 and Adam Shepherd hit the two biggest sixes of the match in scoring 34 from 28 balls, Bedfordshire were all out for 248, giving them just two batting points.
Sneath took three more wickets when Cambridgeshire batted again but the ever-reliable Griggs was Bedfordshire's most successful bowler second time around with 4-66 as Cambridgeshire reached 283-9 before declaring.
Scores: Cambridgeshire 300 and 283-9. Bedfordshire 248 and 284.
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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