Cambs beat Beds to edge up table

Cambridgeshire are now one point behind leaders Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties Championship Eastern Division after a win at Bedfordshire.

The four-wicket victory was achieved despite suffering a second innings collapse and leaves them second in the table with just two matches left.

"We made it difficult for ourselves but Ajaz [Akhtar] saw us though at the end," said captain Gary Freear

Cambs' next game is away at Northumberland next weekend.

Having been set a second innings target of 154, Cambs collapsed to 106 for 6, before Akhtar saw them across the finishing line with an unbeaten 42.

We'll try and get a spinner in as it often turns at Fenners Cambs captain Gary Freear

Cambs had made strong start to the match declaring on 337 in their first innings in reply to Beds' 202.

That included 146 for 23-year-old Godmanchester batsman Matt Pateman, and Freear told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "[That was] one of the best breakthrough innings I've seen from a younger player for a long, long time."

Cambs face Northumberland at Fenners in Cambridge next weekend, and Freear is confident of more success.

But he warned: "It will be a tough game as Northumberland always bring a decent side down with plenty of seamers.

"Hopefully at Fenners, on a decent track, we'll be able to perform well against them."

The Cambs captain admitted there could be team changes to take advantage of the Fenners pitch.

"We'll try and get a spinner in as it often turns at Fenners," he said.