Stags get a second win, as Cameron century seals the deal

A hundred seals the deal. That was the headline performance as Ashtead defeated mid-table Weybridge in Round 5 of the 2016 Surrey Championship Premier Division.

In the first of the all-day declaration format games, Weybridge won the toss and elected to field on a wicket and outfield that looked challenging early in the game. And so it proved, as the top and middle order found the going extremely tough. Jack Winslade, coming off a long run, and Henry Turner put pressure on the opening batsmen, and before long, Dominic Sibley fell, caught behind for 3.

The change of bowling to bring Brent Kay into the attack caused the next pair of wickets to fall, as Guy Harper fell for a duck and Michael Sanderson went for 17. A few overs went by with around 20 further runs on the table, and then the next pair fell – Seb Stewart-Taylor and John Vaughan-Davies within 2 overs of each other. 51-5 after 21 overs. The hosts were on the brink of collapse.

Enter Stewart Cameron and Conor Young. They steadily ground out the overs till lunch, and then looked to plunder whatever they could find. As the runs started to flow, the shots began to fly off the middle of their bats. Spin had entered the attack shortly after the interval, and was causing pressure early on. Cameron eventually made his 50 off 67 balls, and from there, he went to town.

Not a single bowler had an answer for the powerful shots he was making, be them along the ground or arcing gracefully over the boundary for a maximum. The return of Turner caused the odds to turn again, as three wickets falling in successful overs lowered the side to 162-8. Conor Young was the first to go, caught and bowled for 40. Matt Friedlander and Jordan Thomas also fell to Turner’s attacks. By this point, Cameron had reached 73 from 94.

By the fall of the next wicket, the partnership had reached 62 – and Cameron had hit 49 of them. No bowler was immune, with boundaries crashing through the cordon and sixes flying overhead. He fell for 122 from 120, with 12 4’s and 6 6’s. Tom Deighton and Tom Homes put on another 12 before a simple catch ended the innings on 236, with 2 and a half over left.

After the turnaround, it would be crucial to take wickets early. Enter Jordan Thomas. In a blistering opening spell, he would claim 3 top order wickets, including that of captain and overseas big hitter Sarel Erwee, snaffled by an excellent leg side catch for 4 in the first over. By the end of the spell, he was 3-46 off 7 overs and Weybridge were 68-3 after 13. Both sides very much in the game.

Joel Pope and Thushara Managei, the batsmen in at this point, tend not to leave the spectators in any doubt when they bat, and so it proved, as both batsmen chose to strike, and the figures of Tom Deighton and John Vaughan-Davies suffered as a direct result. At 128-3, the odds had changed to favour the visitors.

Tom Homes and Dominic Sibley came into the attack, and immediately the wickets fell. Pope went for 39, and Jordan McKinlay soon followed. The following wicket, of Managei for 65, and then Adam Dean for a duck the next over, surely spelt the end of the chase.

Weybridge weren’t done yet, though, and despite a 20 over bowling stint, Jack Winslade still had the energy to hit 42 and keep the match alive. As usual, though, Tom Deighton broke a partnership, and with Winslade gone, the game was up. Deighton sealed the deal with his second, as a long looping catch ended up in the hands of John Vaughan-Davies. 22 runs the margin.

Next week sees Ashtead host Guildford in the second round of the declaration games. Guildford sit 6th in the table, a place and a point above the Stags. We also host Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians in the second round of this year’s T20 Cup on Thursday. Join us for those games then.