Leaders claim the points, but Ashtead battle hard

An unbeaten time game record comes to an end. Ashtead ended second best last Saturday, as league leaders Sunbury took a 5-wicket win at Woodfield Lane.

The visitors won the toss, and elected to field, on a wicket that looked promising for both sides following the weather of the past few weeks. It was the hosts who made the early going, with John Vaughan-Davies and Michael Sanderson plundering the pace attack as the innings began.

Sunbury engaged spin from the start, with Amar Virdi bowling tightly in the early overs. By the end of the 10th, he had also claimed two important wickets – Vaughan-Davies, caught at slip for 9, and Matt Friedlander LBW for 4.

Rhodri James, given another outing for the 1s, then steadied the ship, and while not scoring quickly, he provided a platform for Sanderson to kick on. Despite pace seemingly being ineffective, Sunbury persevered, and with a cunning change of bowling, Sanderson was caught out and a top edge saw his demise for 35. From there, James and Paul Harrison saw Ashtead through to lunch. At 82-3 off 32, a platform had been set for some attacking batting and a decent total from the afternoon.

The attack never truly materialised, however. By this time, spin was operating from both ends via Virdi and Vishal Manro, and together they continued to take regular scalps. The loss of Harrison for 19, followed swiftly by James for 21 and Conor Young for a furious 22, stole the heart of the Stags’ innings. Only strong cameos from Tom Homes and Tom Deighton, who together put on 29 for the final partnership, saw Ashtead to 161 all out in 61.2 overs.

The speed of the Sunbury over rate gave them 63 to chase down the total, and in the early overs, all seemed easy. John Maunders and Adam London, two of the best batsmen in the league, plundered what they could from all the bowlers. Eventually, however, the pace bowlers gave way to the spinners, and, while expensive in their early overs, chances started to come.

It began with the unfortunate demise of Maunders, retired hurt on 43 following a suspected hamstring injury. As he limped away, Sunbury were 84-0 in 19 overs and cruising along, but the momentum seemed to shift.

Two wickets in an over for Tom Homes followed soon after, and with Deighton claiming another scalp before tea, Ashtead were back in the game. With only 44 runs required, however, it would still take a miracle.

And that miracle never came, despite two more wickets falling, and some controversy on the field regarding another. Sunbury eventually got the runs with 5 wickets fallen, London making a defiant unbeaten 55 to see his side home.

This loss sees Ashtead slip to 7th in the Premier League table after 11 of the 18 weeks played, but over 50 points clear of the relegation zone. Next week sees the Stags travel to Wimbledon, who currently lie 6th in the table. This is the first 2016 clash between the two sides. Join us then.