Sam’s the man as Beds defeat Cambs

Sam Johnson’s swashbuckling century fired Bedfordshire to their first Trophy win of the season on Monday.
Bedfordshire lose a wicket against Cambridgshire. Pic: Joanna Cross.Bedfordshire lose a wicket against Cambridgshire. Pic: Joanna Cross.
Bedfordshire lose a wicket against Cambridgshire. Pic: Joanna Cross.

He smashed nine boundaries including five sixes in an unbeaten 106 off just 96 balls against Cambridgeshire in the MCC Unicorns KO Trophy Group 2 clas at Luton Town & Indians CC.

Beds had been set a target of 228 for victory at Wardown Park - and it was a total that looked a long way off when they were pegged back to 38-3 and then 74-4.

But an 86-run partnership between Johnson and Andy Reynoldson (48) steadied the ship.

Johnson then hit the winning runs with eight balls of the innings to spare.

Earlier the Beds bowlers had done a good containing job on their visitors.

Reynoldson took 3-37, including removing both openers cheaply, as no Cambridgeshire batsman made it beyond 40 in their 227-8 total.

Colin Griggs took 2-48 off his 10 overs with George Bacon, James Middlebrook and George Thurstance picking up a wicket apiece.

It made amends for Sunday’s defeat in a rain-affected fixture against Suffolk at Dunstable.

Beds won the toss and put their visitors into bat.

Suffolk had reached 126-3, off 24 overs, before the rain arrived and play was stopped.

Opener Kyle Coetzer, who played for Scotland at the recent World Cup, was unbeaten with 64 off just 65 balls.

When play finally resumed Bedfordshire were set a revised target of 157 in 20 overs.

But openers Charlie Thurston (1) and Luke Thomas (2) were sent back to the pavilion early on and Bedfordshire’s innings never really recovered.

Reynoldson’s unbeaten 
62 off 52 balls was the highlight of the innings but nobody was able to hang around with him for long and the side ended on 121-9, 35 runs short.

Bedfordshire visit Norfolk for their next Trophy fixture on Sunday.