5 in a row as Stags continue to win

Ashtead continued their impressive form in Round 8 of the Surrey Championship 1st XI Division 1 last Saturday, as they exacted a punishing 89-run win over Cheam, their fellow relegation partners from last year, albeit giving a nail-biting finish as the final wicket was claimed in the penultimate over of the match.

Having lost the toss, and being sent in to bat, Ashtead openers John Vaughan-Davies and Zac Elkin initially made slow progress, as the Cheam opening bowlers, Leigh Harrison and Daniel Phillips, bowled economical and careful opening spells to restrict Ashtead to just 62-0 off their first 18 overs. However, the key was that no wickets had yet fallen, and thus a strong foundation had been laid to a big innings to follow.

The double change to bring on Chris Salmons and Tim Scott proved to be a very good decision, as they continued the economical trend that had been set before them, while causing the openers more problems. Eventually, it would be Scott who struck first, trapping Vaughan-Davies LBW for 47, and then Salmons followed suit 10 or so overs later, as Elkin was bowled, also for 47. At 124-2 off 44, with two relatively new batsmen at the crease and just 17 overs left, Ashtead would need a serious injection of pace to command a respectable total.

This came from the batting of Andrew Roberts and Stewart Cameron, who both showed impressive power, plenty of skill and no fear whatsoever as they plundered the bowling of Salmons and Scott for all they could – including 6 sixes between them. In just 13 overs, they put on 127 between them, before the return of Phillips caused a small collapse as Roberts, Cameron and Stuart Cope all fell to the onslaught. The away side were eventually recalled to the dressing room on 260-5 after 60 overs.

Cheam had bowled quickly and so were given 61 overs to reply, and the visitors immediately took the advantage as Stuart Cope removed Dylan Duraisingham LBW for 4 in the very first over. The early partnerships were unable to build in their starts as Phillips and Oliver Davies were also early casualties of the variable Ashtead pace attack (Cope, Cameron, Srinivasan, Friedlander and Vaughan-Davies).

However, Adrian Jones and Dan Johnson were able to resist these advances and started to build a solid partnership together. Although hampered by the tea interval, which robbed them of some rhythm, they continued in a similar fashion after the break. That is, until the arrival of spinner Tom Deighton, who had bowled an over before tea but was now to come on until the end of the game – tying up an end, building pressure, and taking several wickets himself.

The arrival of Deighton precipitated a flurry of wickets as Jones was caught behind off Friedlander for 58, then Robert Hendry fell similarly off Deighton for 1 and Johnson was stumped off Deighton for 23. The return of Stuart Cope further compounded Cheam’s woes as Chris Salmons and Paul Cohen both fell cheaply to leave Cheam at 125-8 with another 18 overs still to bat.

The tail fought valiantly, led by Leigh Harrison, who batted superbly under pressure for his 38 not out. However, when Deighton claimed the wicket of Mike O’Donnell for 4 (off 44 balls) with 3 overs to go, Ashtead sensed a chance to take the 13 points. Sure enough, a simple catch was offered up by Tim Scott in the next Deighton over to seal the win for the Stags.

Next week sees Ashtead travel to Brook – could 6 in a row be on the cards?