Ashtead start with a struggle as Roffey run riot

And so, it all begins again. A sunny April afternoon saw the start of the cricket season come round, and Ashtead CC were out in force for their first pre-season friendly – hosting perennial early-season opponents Roffey, from the Sussex Premier League.

Ashtead won the toss and elected to make first use of a pitch that appeared to have a good mix of opportunity for both teams. And, the early going was slow, but the Stags’ opening pair of Tom Laudy and young rising star Nathan Farmer began to gather momentum as they blunted the initial salvos of the visiting fast bowlers.

As is so often the case at Woodfield Lane, it would be spin that decided the contest – and its introduction immediately paid dividends as a touch of miscommunication saw Farmer run out for 10. Sam Homes joined Laudy in the middle and the rebuilding began, with some more attacking play from both batters proving effective.

The introduction of young fast bowler Lewis Shivnarain was the decisive moment of the match. His first over went for 18 as the Stags plundered some wayward early balls, but then the screw turned as the catches went to willing hands. In a 7-over stretch in the middle of the Ashtead innings, the hosts would be reduced from 68-1 to 103-7. Shivnarain finished on 5-27.

Rob Hendry led the attempt at resistance, but all too soon the curtain would fall on the Ashtead innings. 127 all out with more than 8 overs to spare.

It was always going to be a significant challenge to hold the Sussex stalwarts back, but the early overs were initially promising. Aaron Rose, and another young debutant, Nathaniel Atkins, proved tidy as the Roffey openers struggled for early runs.

However, once the floodgates had opened, there was no stopping the surge. While one of the Roffey openers, Theo Rivers, elected to sit in and accumulate at a steady rate, his colleague Jas Bassan went on the offensive. Off side, leg side, straight or square, it made little difference as boundaries were plundered.

Changing the bowling eventually brought a breakthrough, as Rose snared a straightforward catch off Harry Williams to remove Bassan for 32 – but that proved to only enhance the pain as Usman Khan proceeded to showcase a power and aggression rarely seen outside the T20 format. The experience frontline Ashtead spin bowlers had no answer for the bludgeoning, and when Khan raised his bat for a half-century off just 21 balls, the end was very much in sight. And sure enough, it would be with another boundary that the match concluded. A 9-wicket defeat, with the runs chased in just 17 overs.

A chastening defeat, but with lessons to learn. Ashtead’s next match, on Sunday 1 May, sees them take on Dartford in Round 1 of the ECB National Club Championship. Dartford currently ply their trade in Division 1 of the Kent Cricket League, and visit Woodfield Lane with a win and a loss in pre-season matches under their belt.

A reminder that you can follow Ashtead CC’s 1st XI matches via our Twitter (@ashteadcc), live on our website (www.ashtead.play-cricket.com) or at our YouTube channel (Ashtead Cricket Club Live). We look forward to next Sunday! Join us then.