Weybridge get the points this time

Not to be today. Weybridge ran out 5 wicket victors as Ashtead travelled to The Green for Round 14 of the Surrey Championship Premier Division.

Ashtead won the toss, again, and elected to make first use, again, on a surface that looked slow and a forecast that favoured rain more than sun. And they found the going hard in the early overs. The early loss of Lalit Bose dealt a blow, and with the fall of Ben Geddes shortly after, the opening PowerPlay belonged to the hosts. 21-2 after 10.

A third wicket, that of Guy Harper, saw the score at 22-3. Rebuilding began with runs for Mahesh Rawat and Harry Williams, and together the pair steered the innings slowly to 50. When the first rain break came, taking 25 minutes off the playing time, Ashtead were 58-3 nearing halfway and needing some precious runs.

Those runs never really materialised. Williams fell just after the break, and when Rawat was out for 38, the visitors had been reduced to just 76-5. It would take a miracle to restore some respectability, and the tail did a little wagging. A few big hits from Stewart Cameron started the charge, but his demise for 22 produced a lower order collapse as 112-5 became 120-9.

The final partnership, of captain Tom Deighton and Harshil Patel, looked to produce some heroics when the rain came down again. Lunch was called early with some batting still to do, but Ashtead
were on only 131-9 with 6 overs left.

The loss of an over to each side meant that the innings resumed with 32 deliveries remaining. The pair used 23 of them, adding a further 21 runs to finish the innings on 153 all out. The DLS recalculation meant that the target would also be 153.

A fast start from the hosts saw Patel quickly removed, and Tom Deighton rushed into the attack. Wickets fell at regular intervals throughout the innings, and the spinners seemed to be causing problems.

However, it was not to be, and the hosts completed the chase for the loss of 5 wickets with 18 overs still to play.

Next week sees Valley End come to the Lane in search of vital points in their relegation battle. Join us then.