Crushing defeat for Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire suffered a crushing 10 wicket defeat at Lincolnshire in their opening Unicorns Championship Eastern Division clash of the season this week.

After the visitors won the toss and opted to bat on Sunday, they got off to a good start, with Luke Thomas and Joe Ludlow putting on 47.

Thomas was then out for 34, while Ludlow (34) and Michael Pickard (12) both followed as Beds fell to 82-3.

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Worse was to come, as Beds middle order all got starts, but couldn’t go on, as they collapsed to 182-9, with Andy Reynoldson (32), George Thurstance (20) and Colin Griggs (20) all back in the pavilion.

However, with former England spinner Monty Panesar in at number 11, he put on a vital 61 for the final wicket with Adam Wheatcroft who battled valiantly to hit 52 not out from 97 balls with five fours and two sixes, as Beds were dismissed for 243.

Lincolnshire also made a fine start, putting 94 on the board before the first wicket fell, Jonathan Tattersall caught by Nick Barden off Panesar for 44.

Beds then reduced their hosts to 121-3, with Panesar (2-57) winning an lbw decision against opener Ross Carnelly and Martin Weightman run out for 6.

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Lincs dug in though, with Daniel Freeman scoring 50, although the real star was Dominic Brown, who hit an unbeaten 95 from 151 balls, as his side were eventually bowled out for 378.

Griggs finished with 2-83 and Jason Jakeman claiming 3-84 from his 20 overs.

Turning round 135 runs in arrears, Beds reply then got off to the worst possible start as Thomas fell for a duck, while Ludlow followed shortly for 17.

Wickets then kept tumbling as Beds slipped from 57-2 to 117-8, as only Reynoldson (46) and Pickard (26) provided any real resistance

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They were bowled out for 136, as although they made sure Lincs had to bat again, with just one run needed, it took just seven balls in which to secure a huge victory, with Thurstance’s first delivery hit for four.

Beds picked up six points, with Lincolnshire taking 24, as the county will need to regroup ahead of their clash with Herefordshire at Dunstable Town CC starting on Sunday.

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