Weightman comes back in for Beds

AFTER a four-week break since the one-dayers, Bedfordshire finally open their Minor Counties Championship programme this weekend.

They take on Hertfordshire at Bishop’s Stortford in a three-day game starting on Sunday.

Hopefully four weeks off from county cricket will have provided the opportunity for the players to find some sort of form in club cricket after their disappointing performances in the one-day competition.

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The selectors are sticking by their policy of encouraging young players and the average age of the side chosen to face Hertfordshire is just 22.

It looks a well-balanced side with Martin Weightman, who was not available for the MCCA Trophy games, filling the all-rounder’s spot. He will probably bat at number seven and form a three-man pace attack with Colin Griggs and Andy McGarry.

Bedfordshire also have plenty of options in the spin department with left-armer Andy Reynoldson backed up by Chris Esh (off-spin) and Dan Bendon (leg-spin).

It was the batting though which let Beds down in the matches against Cornwall, Devon and Oxfordshire, with only Reynoldson seeming to be in any sort of nick, although skipper Oliver Clayson was looking as though he might be on the verge of a big innings when he had to retire hurt after being hit in the eye against Cornwall.

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James Kettleborough, last season’s leading run-scorer who is now with Middlesex, is available and will open the batting with vice-captain Steve Stubbings.

Bedfordshire: Oliver Clayson, Steve Stubbings, James Kettleborough, George Thurstance, Andy Reynoldson, Dan Bendon, Martin Weightman, George Arblaster, Chris Esh, Colin Griggs, Andy McGarry.

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