Welcome win for Stags

Ashtead won the toss and chose to bat. Openers Michael Sanderson and Dominic Sibley got the Stags off to a flying start with a run rate of 6 off the first 12 overs before Sibley was caught by Nick Stevens off Jason Moore for 33. East Molesey’s opening bowlers struggled to find their line and gifted Ashtead more wides than they would have hoped. Good partnerships followed between Sanderson and John Vaughan-Davies before Sanderson fell for 38 and then between Vaughan-Davies and Paul Harrison, pushing the score to 172 before Vaughan-Davies was stumped by Stevens off Adam Zampa in the 37th over. Harrison put together a lovely innings but ultimately ran out of partners as Ashtead’s middle order collapsed for the addition of only another 30 runs. Some support was offered by Jordy Thomas and together they got the score to 248. Harrison was the last wicket to fall for 87 (including 9 fours and 2 sixes), caught by Henry Jones off opening bowler Andrew Westphal in the 50th over. The pick of the Molesey bowlers was Adam Zampa with 4 for 50.

Three early wickets after tea (two for Jordy Thomas and one for Stewart Cameron) looked a promising start for Ashtead’s bowlers, but Nick Stevens and captain Sam Burge dug in and started attacking. Stevens had the more elegant measured approach (taking 89 balls to reach his 50) versus Burge’s more brutal battering of the neighbouring properties with a quick fire 50 in 42 balls. Burge finally fell, caught by Sibley off Vaughan-Davies for 61 (including 4 fours and 3 sixes). The remaining Molesey batsmen struggled to stay with Stevens, who finally made 83, before he uncharacteristically popped a ball into the air off Thomas and it was gratefully gathered up by Harrison. With the score on 199 and only one wicket remaining, it was soon all over and East Molesey were all out for 204 in the 46th over. A hard fought game and a good win for the Stags.