Ashtead make quick work of Malden Wanderers

In their first home league game of the season, Ashtead 1st XI hosted Malden Wanderers on a bright sunny day at Woodfield Lane. The visitors won the toss and chose to bat, but soon Ashtead’s opening bowlers Jordy Thomas and Stewart Cameron began to wreak havoc with the top order. Will Clapp was the first to go, a good catch for Tom Laudy off Cameron’s bowling, followed soon after by Alex Butler bowled Thomas. Another wicket each for Cameron and Thomas and then an unfortunate run out left Malden reeling on 41-5. Will Sabey and Danny Murphy managed to push the score on to 69 before another mix up left Murphy stranded. The last 4 wickets fell (2 more to Thomas who was finding some spectacular bounce and 2 to captain Tom Deighton) for the addition of only 9 runs and Malden Wanderers had capitulated for only 78 in 37 overs.

An early tea was taken and then the Stags’ openers Michael Sanderson and Dominic Sibley set about taking apart the unfortunate Malden bowlers. With balls dispatched regularly to the boundary, (seven fours each for Sanderson and Sibley), it was apparent that it would not take long to reach the target. With only 2 needed, a slight hiccup in the 11th over saw Sanderson misjudging a shot and caught by Danny Murphy off the bowling of Will Riley for 38. Two balls later it was all over and Ashtead had won in record time.