Ickleford sealed a well-earned promotion from Division Four with a four-wicket win over Potton Town at Toddington Manor. After Potton won the toss and elected to bat, Ickleford made an early breakthrough through Heath Wheatley. Ickleford were then made to

Ickleford sealed a well-earned promotion from Division Four with a four-wicket win over Potton Town at Toddington Manor.

After Potton won the toss and elected to bat, Ickleford made an early breakthrough through Heath Wheatley.

Ickleford were then made to wait for more wickets but two flurries left Potton struggling on 123-8.

Only some clean hitting from Craig Worley (81) hauled Potton to a respectable 188 all out.

Ickleford's attack was well led by the pacemen Wheatley (3-45 in 11 overs) and Mark Schumann (3-47 off 12) with excellent support from Tom Reilly (2-40 in 10) and spinner Steve Maylin (2-24 off seven).

Ickleford made a dream start chasing down the total, with skipper Duncan Jenner leading the assault on the Potton bowlers with Reilly.

Jenner eventually fell for a run-a-ball 60, having put on 104 for the opening wicket.

Reilly reached his sixth league fifty of a superb season in which he was not dismissed in single figures.

Following Reilly's dismissal for 53, Schumann added yet more runs to his best ever season's haul - breaking through the 750 league runs barrier - before falling for 26.

After suffering a small wobble, Mark Turner came to the crease to smack 16 from four balls and send Ickleford into Division Three.

Jenner said: "We've had a fantastic year and but for four games we lost to rain, would have secured promotion comfortably.

"There have been some great individual performances - Mark Schumann's three league hundreds and Brett Blaker's league record 192no stand out - but as a team, we've pulled together and the atmosphere has been brilliant.

"We're looking forward to the challenge of Division Three."

The second team had two century makers in their draw against Abbots Langley 3rds.

The England Schools' under-18 football manager Tony Martin scored his first ton for Ickleford by hitting an unbeaten 121.

Steve Warren also hit his maiden hundred and the pair put on 219 for the third wicket as Ickleford totalled 278-3.

Bal Kalirai took 3-51 as Abbots Langley responded with 214-6.