Old Albanian were beaten by Ampthill Town despite an unbeaten half-century from number nine Ravi Vijh.

It was the wicketkeeper’s highest score for five years but it came in a game that had already got away from OAs by the time he got to the crease.

Chasing 197, Vijh strode out at 52-7 after Andrew Steele (4-20) tore through the line-up.

He hit a 73-ball 55 to take a sizeable chunk out of the runs needed, but the lack of runs at the top of the order was too much to overcome as OAs lost by 49 runs.

OAs had put Ampthill into bat at Woollams and promptly watched opener Nick Barden crack four sixes and nine fours on his way to 85. It was the stand-out performance for Ampthill in an innings that also saw James Kerr and Lee Taylor score 27 and 21 respectively.

James Sneath (2-30) and Steele ensured OAs wouldn’t have the same success as they dismissed five batsmen on single figures. Opener Alex Goldstone and Usman Farooq Malik worked hard for 12 runs each and Moz Hayat chipped in with 18 in a disappointing day for OAs.

Vijh took the plaudits as the hosts’ top batsmen but he was left with too much to do.