A run for their money

CAMBRIDGESHIRE beat Hertfordshire by a single run in a thrilling cricket match.

Home side Hertfordshire, without their star batsman David Ward, fielded a youthful team for Sunday's clash.

With Cambridgeshire winning the toss and electing to bat first on a sunny morning, Wisbech captain Gary Freear took advantage of the conditions, cracking a superb 70 runs off only 70 balls, despatching the Hertfordshire bowlers all around the ground.

Former March Town and now Peterborough batsman Alan Burton was the first of Cambridgeshire's batsmen to fall, putting on 41 runs for the first wicket with Freear.

Freear was then joined by Mark Bott and the pair added 74 runs before Freear was run out going for a quick single.

Bott finished the innings on 89 not out, with Cambridgeshire setting Hertfordshire a modest target of 238 to win.

In reply, Hertfordshire got off to a slow start, losing wickets regularly until the fifth wicket partnership of Benjamin Frazer and Matthew Smith, adding 54 runs to the board, which ended with Oliver Bailey taking a diving catch behind the stumps.

Hertfordshire needed 67 runs from the last seven overs but Simon White and James Southgate put them back in the match, requiring 14 runs off the final over.

Cambridgeshire captain Damien Brandy took the responsibility of bowling, setting his field on the boundary. Hertfordshire ran for two for most of the over, leaving themselves four runs to complete the victory.

But the quick thinking of Matthew Pateman, who walked in with the ball to run out Southgate, left Hertfordshire on 235-8.

Cambridgeshire start their three day campaign this weekend away to Northumberland at Benwell Hill, Newcastle, who boast the likes of ex-Durham players Stephen Humble, Ian Pattison, Allan Worthy and David Barrick in their squad.

Cambridgeshire will be at March Town's ground for a three-day match against Norfolk starting on June 24.