Shirazi and Breetzke conjure batting magic as Ashtead canter home

Wickets with the ball and then the runs to match. This was the story as Ashtead claimed a superb 6 wicket win at home to Sutton in Round 13 of the 2022 Surrey Championship Premier League.

Ashtead won the toss and elected to field first on a surface that would bat well, but should also provide large amounts of turn throughout the game. It would be the fast bowlers, however, that would begin proceedings – and would immediately be causing damage in the visitors’ top order, with Ben Sidwell and Sam Hunt each claiming an early LBW. 33-2 after 10 overs, a good start.

Sutton were obstinate, however, and with the substantial talent of Fabia n Cowdrey acting as an anchor, the visitors rebuilt their innings. The wickets dried up and the runs began to flow a little more easily, even with Matt Breetzke snaring the opposition skipper Sam Seadon for 16. The flow slowed gradually as the lunch interval approached, and Sutton reached the break at 106-3 off 32 overs.

The slow drip of runs continued immediately after the break, but it would be a double-strike by Sidwell (including Cowdrey for a well-made and patient 66), followed by a sharp wicket from Sam Homes, that both raised the hosts’ hopes and released the visitors’ shackles. In walked Etinder Bopara, older brother of former England international Ravi.

After sitting in (and watching chaos erupt around him with wickets falling) for a few overs, the heavy strokes began to fly, and the ball was dispatched to all parts of the ground. Neither spin nor seam appeared to have an answer, and the total started to pose more and more of a potential issue for the hosts. As the final overs ticked round, wickets fell again at the other end and the momentum seemed to stall just a fraction. Bopara would be the last man out, run out from a dramatic direct hit of Tom Homes, for a frenetic 67 off the penultimate ball of the innings. 247 all out. A long chase to follow.

A new-look opening combination for the Stags, with the returning Damian Shirazi partnering Gareth James, took very contrasting approaches to the start of the innings. Shirazi, as seen in previous years, sat in early and played a watchful stay at the crease. James, meanwhile, went on the offensive – and with a spinner opening up the bowling, opportunities were certainly available.

Spin would strike the first blow, as James was caught for 26, but that brought the leading run scorer in the league, Matt Breetzke, to the crease. And he followed the same idea as the man before him, attacking early (including a tremendous six off just his fifth ball) and pushing the total forward.

The Sutton bowlers and fielders simply had no answer to the Ashtead advance. At tea, the Stags were 77-1 off 20. By drinks, with 16 overs remaining, the scoreboard then read 168-3. By this time, Shirazi was sitting on 65, and was beginning to accelerate well, with Breetzke on 63 having just smacked a pair of sixes to take the Sutton skipper out of the attack. The march seemed inexorable, and as centuries loomed for both batters, the end of the innings loomed into view.

Sadly, the big milestones were not to be. First to go was Breetzke, attempting to reach his century by dumping a young spinner into the houses at the top of the ground. He missed, the wicketkeeper didn’t. Stumped for 94. The very next ball removed Shirazi, bowled for 97. Just 7 runs were left to get, and the middle order didn’t disappoint. 6 wickets was the margin of victory, with 4 overs to spare.

That result sees Ashtead remain in 7th place in the table, but with other results going their way, safety is all but secured, and the mid-table teams are well within range. Next week sees Ashtead travel to East Molesey for a resumption of the 50-over format. The Moles were 96 run victors first time round and lie second in the table – but the Stags bring confidence into a traditionally competitive clash.

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 Thursday and to next week! Join us then.