Ickwell destroy Clifton batting to nick tense win

Ickwell chose to bat in this Division Two clash and made a very good start with runs coming from Peter Sowerby (70) and Harry Young (73).

Unfortunately the later batsmen fell away and Ickwell were all out for 218, about 30 runs light of a par score.

Lewis Bridger (4-44) and Stephen Brookes (3- 50) were the main wicket takers.

In reply Clifton made an excellent start with Jack Brown (57) and Joel Boorman (48) looking to have the match well under control. But Alec Wing (3-46) came on to break this partnership and Harry Young (3-30) also helped slow the scoring rate.

This meant that Samee Mohammed (39 not out) was left with the later batsmen to see Clifton home.

However Ickwell continued to apply pressure, hold their catches and take wickets. The home side probably had the advantage as the last man for Clifton came to the crease. It was still very close with Clifton needing just 12 more runs off four overs. Ross Cunningham however ended the match in spectacular fashion as he sent the middle stump of the number 11 cartwheeling out of the ground as Ickwell won by 12 runs.

In Division One Biggleswade edged past Dunstable Town II. Biggleswade reached 134-7 batting first. The major part of the innings saw Adam Lawrence and Dan Szwajbak add 90 for the eighth wicket with Lawrence run out off the last ball of the innings for 59.

The Dunstable reply started well until Matt Twigg removed Ian Horton. The innings moved on to 92 but then fell apart as Chris Walford took three wickets in four balls. In between George Boyd beat the bat and Joe Randall completed the stumping and Dunstable had collapsed from 92-1 to 95-5. With Chris Walford picking up a fourth wicket, Adam Dagless running out Nick Smith and Tom Boyd picking up three wickets without conceding a run off the bat, Dunstable were all out for 131.

Biggleswade II stumbled to defeat at Hexton in Division Four. Hexton batted first and made 194-8. Toby Charter picked up three wickets, Jack Lorimer two plus a run out, with Andrew Dockerill picking up the final wicket.

In reply the early batsmen got off to good starts before Rakshit Choudery ran through the order taking 6-18. Top score for Wade was Tariq Ahmad with 39 as Biggleswade finished on 161-9.

In Division Five Ickwell II beat Great Brickhill II by nine wickets. Great Brickhill made a good start with Tom Robson scoring 47. But Ewan Wilkinson (4 -32) and Tinu Thankappan (3 for 18) got rid of the middle and lower order for not many more runs and the home side were 115 all out.

Following on from his good innings on Saturday Steven Proudman (51 not out) added yet more runs. Steven and Sam Barrow (38 not out), who took full advantage of the short boundary to score a couple of sixes, put together an unbroken second wicket stand of 87 for victory.

Biggleswade Development XI played Leighton Buzzard at Roxton. Leighton batted first and made 109 all out. Wickets went to Daniel Smith (4-8), Joe Gauge (2-21 and a run out) and Aiden Wright (2-24).

In reply Biggleswade made a good start but then lost wickets on a regular basis. They were all out for 97, losing by 12 runs.