The new cricket season is just around the corner, with Bedfordshire naming a 13-man squad to take on an MCC Secretarial XI in a pre-season friendly on Sunday (19 April).
The 50-over clash takes place at Dunstable Town Cricket Club with an 11am start. Entry for spectators is free.
It’s the first match of a new National Counties campaign which will see Bedfordshire once again compete in the three-day NCCA Championship alongside white ball competitions, the 50-over NCCA Trophy and the NCCA T20.
With a packed schedule across formats ahead, this is the only pre-season game before the competitive action starts, with Bedfordshire facing one of the longest trips of their season as they head to Roseworth Terrace to open their 50-over competition against Northumberland next weekend.
Bedfordshire then host a May Bank Holiday double header in the same competition, with Lincolnshire visiting on Sunday, 3 May – a game also hosted by Dunstable Town – while Ampthill Town Cricket Club host Bank Holiday Monday’s tie against Staffordshire on 4 May.
This Sunday’s opponents, Marylebone Cricket Club – more commonly known as the MCC – was formed in 1787 and has a rich history, as well as distinctive membership jackets often seen at Lord’s in the capital.
The Secretarial XI are just one of a number of representative MCC sides who often play as part of the Club’s wider outreach work.
Bedfordshire will once again be captained by Flitwick’s, George Thurstance with Nabil Moughal, Jack Fuller, Jake Tarling and Bedford School alumni, Archie Houghton amongst the familiar names in the 13-man squad to face the MCC.
How you can get involved
With the costs of running a National Counties side mounting, Bedfordshire County Cricket Club has been courting sponsorship throughout the winter, with a number of businesses and individuals contributing to the county.
A typical season from April to September can cost upwards of £55,000, with only £36,000 of that coming from funding by the National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA).
For businesses interested in offering their support, they can contact Bedfordshire CCC’s head of fundraising, Chris Tarling at fundraising@bedsccc.co.uk.
The Bedford Independent has committed as a ‘Business Plus’ partner for the season ahead, with Bedfordshire County Cricket Club part of its ongoing commitment to local sport, both on and off the pitch.
Read: Bedford Independent extends commitment to local sport with County Cricket Club partnership
This support may include coverage of matches, club news, and reciprocal commercial agreements.
Leave a Reply