Gauge grabs hat-trick for Biggleswade in County League

They picked up their fourth win of the campaign with a five wicket success over Great Brickhill at Fairfield.

The visitors chose to bat first but were soon tottering at 27-3 and then 36-4. Howver a fifth wicket partnership of 91 between George Morris (35) and Arjun Jhala (48) put Brickhill back on course.

Then James Gauge got to work for Biggleswade, removing Morris and Jhala. He mopped up the final three wickets in three balls to end with figures of 5-22 from six overs.

Adam Dagless was the star performer in reply, scoring an unbeaten 70 off just 41 balls including five sixes. Biggleswade cruised to the win in 26 overs.

Southill Park stay top of the Premier Division despite a narrow defeat in the final over at Flitwick on Sunday.

Flitwick chose to bat first but were soon on the back foot as the powerful opening partnership of George Thurstance and Jimmy Hart were sent back to the pavilion with just 13 on the board, Jack Good and Chris Watt taking the wickets.

Flitwick rallied and Dom Moxon’s unbeaten 63 in the middle of the order saw them reach a commendable 190-8, Good taking 3-31.

Southill’s reply initially looked strong as they reached 111-2, Dominic Chatfield making 53 including three sixes.

However when he was out the wickets started to tumble at regular intervals.

The final pair of Phil Johnson and Sam Rose needed to score 12 for victory, but Johnson was caught and bowled as they fell three runs short with two balls to go.

Langford are finding their feet in the Premier Division and recorded another win, this time by seven wickets at Waresley.

The home side decided to bat first and opener Jack Richards made 50 to get them off to a good start. But Chris Gentle and Harry Jerome took two wickets apiece and Adam Parkins nipped out three lower down the order to bowl Waresley out for 150.

The home side struck early with Shadrach Gittens-Browne out for a golden duck.

However Connor Robson carried his bat with an un beaten 58 from 64 balls. Support from Earl Lee (44) saw them pile on 77 runs for the second wicket and the total was passed in just 23 overs with seven wickets in hand.

After last week’s shock defeat in Division Two Ickwell recovered and cruised to an eight-wicket victory in their return match against Letchworth.

The home side won the toss and batted. They got off to a reasonable start but not many runs came from the later batsmen as Letchworth were dismissed for 134.

The wickets were spread around several Ickwell bowlers but the best figures belonged to Tim Smith with 3-9 from his four overs. It took just over 18 overs for Ickwell to cruise to a comfortable eight wicket victory.

An unbroken third-wicket partnership of 80 between Jamie Barnes (49 not out) and Ross Cunningham (53 not out, including nine fours) secured the win.

In Division Five Ickwell II played on The Green, won the toss and put Luton Town & Indians IV into bat.

Indians were all out in the 38th over for 162. Most of the wickets were takn by Kandasamy Krishnaruban (4-23) and Darren De-Vyott (3-35). Darren also took three catches.

The early batsmen got Ickwell off to a reasonable start and by the end of the 25th over they seemed to be in a reasonable position at 85 for 2. Just 78 runs were required from the next 15 overs with eight wickets remaining.

At this stage Rahul Patel (5-38) came on to bowl and took control of the match as the last seven Ickwell wickets fell for just 20 runs.

Chris Rix was top scorer with 38 as Ickwell lost by just 13 runs.