Ashtead fall short as East Molesey triumph again

Same venue, same opposition, same result. After facing East Molesey as a pre-season friendly 4 weeks ago, Ashtead travelled to the Thames-side club to play their second game in the 2020 Challenge Cup. The result was the same, as the hosts came out the victors by 92 runs.

On a sweltering day to play, Ashtead won the toss and elected to bowl first on a wicket that looked as if it had plenty to give. The opening bowlers, Sean Hunt and Ben Sidwell, certainly caused some initial problems (although the first 6 of the game) did fly in the 3rd over) and it would be Sidwell who struck first, with 2 wickets in 5 balls. 37-2.

As the hosts looked to rebuild, spin was introduced early to the attack in Tom Deighton. However, a strain curtailed his involvement and his second over had to be completed by another. Enter captain and part-time spinner Ben Geddes. His first ball was seized upon by Tom Phillippe (who’d hit an unbeaten 72 in the friendly), but flew straight to short midwicket, where Conor Young snared a tough chance. 52-3.

A period of consolidation followed. Geddes and Harri Aravinthan, along with Sidwell and the returning Tom Homes, kept the runs down but were unable to penetrate. With 15 overs to go, the hosts had reached 104-3 and had set a platform for a tremendous score. All that was to change with the return of Hunt, seeing off two more batsmen via another superb catch from wicketkeeper Hayden Storey and sending the bails flying as middle stump was bent back. Tom Homes joined the part with another Storey catch to leave Molesey reeling at 115-6.

Spin in tandem attempted to contain and nullify the fightback, but the hosts were in no mood to hang around and they attacked with reckless abandon. When Sam Homes finally struck in the 36th over, the damage had been done. Further cameos from the lower order, alongside an excellent 76 from James Southgate, saw the total rise to a troublesome 205-9. It would need a good chase to reel that in.

Hopes were high when Guy Harper began with customary verve, but a top edge in over 4 saw him depart for 11. This became a double strike when Harri was adjudged to be LBW without scoring. 21-2.

Andy Westphal, who had taken both the early wickets, would prove to be the man to watch in the first half of the innings. The Ashtead innings had begun to move along nicely when Geddes, and then Ragu Aravinthan, both fell in the same over. Conor Young fell to spin in the very next over and suddenly the visitors were 52-5. It would take an extraordinary recovery to take the points from there.

Alas, it was not to be. At this stage, spin was the primary weapon, as the wicket was allowing prodigious amounts of turn and bounce. At times, balls were simply unplayable. It would be Jake Kings who capitalised on this, rattling through the lower order and tail in a 14 over stretch. As wickets continued to fall, Sam Homes remained ever present. He dug in early, and then proceeded to play more expansively as the innings progressed. He was eventually left stranded on 30, as Ashtead were bowled out for 113 with nearly 8 overs to spare.

This result now sees Ashtead on a win and a loss in their 2020 Challenge Cup campaign. Next week sees Esher travel to Woodfield Lane as the league reaches, amazingly, its halfway point. Last year’s limited overs fixture saw Esher emerge victorious, by just 2 wickets in the final over of the game. Let’s see if Ashtead can return to winning ways. Join us then.