Image taken by: Roger Byrne

Cumbria were shot out for 81 by Bedfordshire on a soggy first day of the opening round of matches in this season’s NCCA Cluberly Championship.

All eight matches were rain-affected to varying degree including at Dunstable where, after a blank morning, Bedfordshire made light work of Cumbria’s first innings, dismissing the visitors in 26.1 overs for their lowest total in 30 years. Bedfordshire then passed Cumbria’s total with just one wicket down and ended the day with a lead of 88.

Rookie seamer Oscar Phillips led the way with four for 22 on an impressive Championship debut with Matt Coles (three for 44) and Jake Tarling (three for 12) sharing the other wickets after Bedfordshire had won the toss.

Cumbria lost three top order wickets in 11 balls and Only Drew Postlethwaite, with 34, delayed Bedfordshire for long. Cumbria’s total was their lowest since they were dismissed for 80 by Suffolk at Ipswich School in 1995 and their lowest ever against Bedfordshire.

Tarling completed a productive day by making 76 not out as Bedfordshire ended the day on 169 for one.

Northamptonshire staff man Arush Buchake went early on his debut but Tarling and former Hampshire batter Oli Soames (83 not out) then added 153 in an unbroken second wicket partnership as Bedfordshire dominated.

Only 25-and-a-half overs were possible in the other Eastern Division Two match at Sprowston where Hertfordshire were struggling on 64 for four against Norfolk when the rain arrived.

Hertfordshire were 30 for three at one stage, with Brett Stolworthy taking two of the wickets, before David Burnell led a partial recovery by making 34 before being bowled by Hamidullah Qadri.

There were also short rations in both of the two Eastern Division One matches at Sleaford and Bury St Edmunds.

Cambridgeshire, back in the top-flight after an absence of four years, were going well against hosts Lincolnshire at Sleaford with skipper Wayne White (55 not out) and Callum Guest (43 not out) sharing an unbroken stand of 111 in the 27.2 overs that there were possible.

There was a delayed start at Bury St Edmunds where Buckinghamshire opted to bat first against Suffolk and had to regroup after they lost three wickets for nine runs as they slipped to 43 for four.

Ed Horsley, who is on Northamptonshire’s Academy, and Ryan Friend saw Buckinghamshire through to the close on 72 for four.

Western Division champions Berkshire were frustrated by a second wicket stand of 173 between Devon’s Elliot Hamilton and Matt Thompson at Wargrave where there was another blank morning.

James Horler went first ball, bowled by a full toss from Charlie Dunnett, but Berkshire had to wait another 53 overs for their next wicket as Hamilton marked his seasonal debut with 87 and Thompson, who is retiring at the end of the season, made 68.

Both perished in successive overs from Josh Lincoln and Euan Woods, back after a lengthy absence with a thumb injury, snared Rhys Davies just before the close as Devon reached 211 for four in 75 overs.

In the other Western Division One match at Banbury, Oxfordshire made 114 for three in the 46 overs that were possible between the showers.

Oxfordshire, who were put in, were 16 for two early on but Arjun Ramkumar (39) and Luke Maslen (42 not out) repaired the damage with a third wicket stand of 74.

Only 25 overs were bowled at Whitchurch in which time Shropshire recovered from losing two early wickets to Cheshire’s Sam Grant to close on 91 for two. Harry Chandler (42 not out) and Arminder Brar (31 not out) stabilised the innings with an unbroken third wicket partnership of 67.

Wiltshire and Wales NC had to wait patiently for the rain to clear the South Wilts club in Salisbury where the hosts were in trouble at 38 for three before Jack Mynott led the recovery.

Mynott fell for 40, bowled by experienced seamer Richard Edwards who ended the day with three for 40 on his seasonal debut, and Wiltshire on 129 for five.

NCCA Cluberly Championship

First day of three

Eastern Division One

Sleaford: Cambridgeshire 111-0 (Wayne White 55 not out, Callum Guest 43 not out) v Lincolnshire.

Bury St Edmunds: Buckinghamshire 72-4 v Suffolk.

Western Division One

Wargrave: Devon 211-4 (Elliot Hamilton 87, Matt Thompson 68) v Berkshire.

Banbury: Oxfordshire 114-3 (Luke Maslen 42 not out) v Cornwall.

Eastern Division Two

Dunstable: Cumbria 81 (Oscar Phillips 4-22), Bedfordshire 169-1 (Oli Soames 83 not out, Jake Tarling 76 not out)

Sprowston: Hertfordshire 64-4 v Norfolk.

Western Division Two

Whitchurch: Shropshire 91-2 (Harry Chandler 42 not out) v Cheshire.

South Wilts CC: Wiltshire 129-5 (Jack Mynott 40) v Wales NC.