Crucial win for Ashtead

The Stags travelled to Spencer for a crucial top of the table clash. The hosts won the toss and put themselves in to bat, but must have wished soon after that they hadn’t when the top order was decimated in the first five overs. Even the Spencer juniors passing the scoreboard on their way home stared disbelievingly at the score of 9-4. Will Pereira took three of the wickets with the other being taken by a splendid catch in the slips by Danny Miller off Jordy Thomas.

However Spencer soon rallied with first Jonathan Batty and Peter Walters hitting out, followed by a tremendous partnership of 109 between captain Neil Baker and Alex Tudor with the Ashtead bowlers struggling to find a way through. Ashtead’s troubles continued with a painful misfield by Stew Cameron resulting in a 10 minute injury break and Cameron taking a visit to the local A&E, enter occasional sub-fielder Nick Hill to fill the gap.

Ashtead’s chance came at last in the 53rd over with Alex Tudor caught by Dominic Sibley off Tom Deighton for 46, more than double his best score of the season to date I am told. Spencer had taken their total to 191-7. Baker continued to bludgeon the bowlers and ably supported by number 9 Max Scarr they moved the score on to 234 before Pereira finally ended Baker’s reign as he was caught behind by Paul Harrison for 80. However it was the 62nd over and the Stags were running out of time to get the last 2 wickets. Come good captain Deighton who took them both with Scarr falling at last for 34 in the 65th over, but Spencer had managed a magnificent recovery to make 248.

Ashtead openers John Vaughan-Davies and Mike Sanderson started out well and took the score to 61 before Sanderson was caught by Batty off the spin of Gus Grant for 31. Tea was taken and shortly after Vaughan-Davies was caught by Grant off Scarr for 31 with Sibley going soon after as the Spencer spinners continued to cause Ashtead problems. Paul Harrison and Danny Miller rallied putting together a 62 run partnership before Harrison fell caught and bowled Scarr for 39. With two further wickets falling cheaply and the score on 164-6 with only 11 overs remaining the 249 target seemed a distant possibility.

However Miller was hitting the ball beautifully and the injured Cameron, who must have hoped he wouldn’t be needed, stoically entered the fray and together they determinedly took the task in hand. Fours and some towering sixes were plentiful from both, not least because much running for Cameron was too painful to think about. In the 51st over Spencer brought on unused bowler Walters who struck with his second ball and Miller was eventually caught by Baker for an impressive 77, surely his best outing of the season. With only 9 runs needed off 28 balls, it didn’t take long for Cameron and Deighton to finish off the job. An excellent win that sees Ashtead consolidate their lead at the top of the table. Next week’s game against East Molesey will be another crucial game.