Last ball thriller

Batting first Ashtead found Spencer’s opening bowlers of Alex Tudor and Jonathan Speller difficult and at 43-4 after 18 overs things were not looking good for the Stags. Then Stewart Cameron and Danny Miller got stuck in and put together an 83 run partnership before Miller was caught by Jim Codling off Shah Zaib Hassan Khan for 36. In came Conor Young and together with Cameron they set about attacking the bowling with a flurry of fours and sixes taking the score on to 185 before Cameron was finally out lbw to Tudor for 72. Young continued the onslaught making a quick fire 50 in just 28 balls, before being caught by Krishna Sivakumaran off Jim Codling for 58. Ashtead managed 248-7 off their 50 overs, a really good recovery from their slow start, but would it be enough?

An early Spencer wicket was promising, but opener Andrew Mawson and first Sivakumaran (31) and then Hassan Khan dug in and notched the score up to 139 in 26 overs before Mawson was caught by Tom Deighton off John Vaughan-Davies for 51. Hassan Khan followed a few overs later, caught by Young off Sam Homes for 55. Spencer’s batsmen kept up the pressure and were always ahead of the run rate, but Ashtead’s bowlers were not to be intimidated and steadily plugged away at the wickets. With 2 overs to go Spencer needed 10 runs and Ashtead needed 3 wickets. Ashtead’s hopes lifted as 2 wickets fell to Jordy Thomas in the 49th over and with 6 balls left Spencer needed 6 runs and the Stags 1 wicket. Spectators were on their feet, hearts in mouths, as down to the last ball: 1 to tie, 2 to win and with nothing to lose Jim Codling drove the unfortunate Vaughan-Davies for 4. Spencer were elated, Ashtead deflated, but what a great game of cricket.