Ashtead win first league game of new season

Champions of Surrey Championship Division 2 in 2014 and promoted to Division 1, Ashtead’s 1st XI were eagerly anticipating the trip to Farnham for their first league game of the new season. Farnham won the toss and Ashtead were put in to bat. Openers Mike Sanderson and Dominic Sibley got off to a good start making 69 before Sanderson was caught behind by Jamie Strachan off Marc Lewis for 15. With John Vaughan-Davies in at number 3, Sibley continued to amass runs to make his half century, before being bowled shortly afterwards by Mike O’Mahony for 52, with the score on 99. Vaughan-Davies, ably supported by the middle order clocked up a pleasing 70 before being caught behind by Strachan with the score on 249. Farnham’s bowlers struggled to find the stumps and gifted Ashtead 43 wides in a total of 277 for 8 off their 50 overs.

Farnham’s batsmen came to the crease intent on attacking Ashtead’s bowlers and the target score and throughout their innings were up with the required run rate. Unfortunately, despite some determined efforts, none of them managed to score more than 25 runs. The real breakthrough for Ashtead came when young spinner Tom Homes came on, taking a wicket in his second over. With captain Tom Deighton spinning from the other end, they attacked the batsmen and by the end of the 31st over Farnham had lost 7 wickets for 132 runs. Tom Homes finished his spell with the enviable figures of 10 overs, 5 maidens, 3 for 14. Farnham managed to push their score up to 175 when in the 40th over Sam Homes took their final 3 wickets, finishing on 3 for 17 off 3.5 overs.

A good team effort from all and Ashtead had won a satisfying first outing of the new season. Convincing wins for Ashtead’s 2nd XI (newly promoted to the Premier division) over Guildford and their 3rd XI over Old Wimbledonians rounded off a thoroughly pleasing day’s work.