Ampthill dethrone Kings as Sneath claims five

Batting first Ampthill started well before a mid-innings collapse as skipper Chris Esh scored 54 with Jarryd Biviano (48) and Nick Barden (41) in a total of 171 all out.

Despite heavy rain at tea, the bowlers made early inroads and bowled out the home side for just 85 in the 26th over.

Will Sneath was again in the wickets with 5-40, Ben Collinge taking 3-27.

Langleybury IIs visited Ampthill Park and seemed to enjoy the musical rehearsals for the Proms in the Park as the bowlers dominated.

The home side managed just 125 all out with skipper Phil Clark top scoring with 38.

However two rain delays and some excellent home bowling almost secured an unlikely home victory as the visitors clung on for a draw ending on 93-9 off 41 overs, Jeremy Degnan taking 6-21.

The IIIs lost by 105 runs at Houghton Chargers.

Houghton scored 205-9 with Ollie Evans picking up 3-29, before the visitors were skittled for exactly 100.

The IVs lost by four wickets against Bedford at the Bury.

Batting first Ampthill made 152, John-Joe Pekszyc hitting 64 and James Freeman 30.

Bedford hit the winning runs in the penultimate over with six wickets down, Sam Clipstone claiming 3-25.

With the Ampthill Festival Gala Day taking place on Sunday it was the club’s rest day in the league and a friendly XI took on and comfortably beat a New Bradwell XI.

Batting first Ampthill made 279-3, Raj Nahar (103no) scoring his maiden hundred and Ben O’Connell adding 52.

New Bradwell were bowled out for 145 with Jamie Casley taking 4-16.

>> Lidlington CC were beaten by seven wickets in their clash against Stewkley Village at the weekend.

Put into bat Lidlington struggled as a superb 49 by opener Hamayun Shahid and 36 from Nadeem Ahmed were the only batsmen to reach double figures in their total of 113 all out.

Despite two wickets for Ahmed, Stewkley then eased to 114-3.