Bedfordshire lose Twenty20 clash against Herts

The game, played at Flitwick CC, was a taster for the county ahead of a Twenty20 competition, to be organised by the Minor Counties Cricket Association, next season.

Visitors Herts batted first and got off to a marvellous start as Joe Cooke and Eddie Ballard put on 126 for the opening wicket.

However, once Chris Esh dismissed Cooke for 53, the chase for quick runs saw wickets tumble with alarming regularity.

James Southgate was run out first ball by James Kettleborough, while Ballard was soon caught by Shabz Hussain off the bowling of Luke Cherry.

The middle order fared little better too with only George Scott reaching double figures as Beds came roaring back into the game.

Esh finished with 3-28 from his four overs, while Andy Reynoldson picked up 3-27, and there was success for both Sam Cherry (1-43) and Luke Cherry (1-20).

The Beds reply got off to a poor start as Northants opener Kettleborough, who was given permission to play, fell for just 14.

They then collapsed to 51-4 as James Hewitt (22), Dan Blacktopp (six) and George Thurstance (six) were all dismissed.

Reynoldson came to the wicket with Hussain and the pair put on 83 for the fifth wicket to give their side a fighting chance of securing an unlikely victory.

But the run-rate was always against them as Reynoldson was eventually caught for 47 from 34 balls, including four fours and two sixes.

Hussain hit three fours and one six in his 37 from 29 balls before perishing.

The lower order were left with a thankless task as Beds finished on 138-7 to lose by 18 runs, spinner Southgate claiming a miserly 2-7 from his four overs.

Bedfordshire’s next action is an MCCA Unicorns Championship Eastern Division clash at Cumberland CCC, starting on Sunday, July 6.