Wimbledon win easily as Stags run out of steam

The end of the season approaches, and so the results dry up a touch. Such has been August for Ashtead, as they crashed to a 6 wicket defeat at Wimbledon in the penultimate match of the 2017 Surrey Championship season.

Wimbledon won the toss, inserted the visitors and immediately struck as Lalit Bose went in the second over for a duck. On the back foot from the off, stand-in captain Guy Harper and Michael Sanderson fought hard in the early overs, and built up some momentum. 60-1 after 13, looking good.

Wickets often come in clusters, and both set batsmen were to fall in consecutive overs, both LBW – Sanderson for 18, Harper for a well-earned 36. 62-3, and rebuilding once again, the star batsman in Surrey for 2017, Mahesh Rawat, was now at the crease.

Rawat, along with John Vaughan-Davies, began slowly and then picked up the pace. However, at the crucial moment, Vaughan-Davies was snaffled at slip for 11. Rawat was then bowled by his opposite number at Wimbledon, Sri Lanka overseas Sanjaya Arachchige for 26 in the following over.

When a further pair of wickets fell a few overs later, the Stags were reeling at 126-7 and unlikely to make a spirited comeback. Some good work from Harry Williams, shepherding the tail, saw the Stags into the final ten overs of the allocated 50, but he was left stranded on 22 as Ashtead capitulated for 160.

Early wickets would, once again, be crucial if the Stags were to have any chance at all. And they got a pair in the first 10 overs, as Rafeh Jafri produced a blistering spell that was unlikely to have had 3 or 4 wickets.

As it was, the urns kept flowing from the other end. No matter what the bowling type, or who the bowler was, the lid could not be kept on a rampant innings from Jonathan Webb. He eventually brought up his 50 off 61 balls, and then opened up with some tremendous shots.

By the time Jafri returned to the attack, the score was 135-2 off 27 overs, with just 26 to find. Despite his best efforts, spin was expensive from the other end and all too soon the hosts needed 6 to win. However, it was Davis Scott on strike on 38, with Webb on 94 at the other end.

Cue a frantic conversation, and an attempt from Scott to bat the over out, giving Webb the opportunity to make his century. Scott blocked five and was then castled with the sixth. Webb had his chance, as Harry Williams was brought on to bowl to him. He holed out in the deep. The next ball sailed over the ropes, and that was that.

This result sees Ashtead 6th in the league table, with a final position of 4th-7th still possible. The final game of the season will be played at Sunbury, another team in the cluster of teams from 2nd to 7th in the table. Join us then.