Ashtead win the first league game

Ashtead started the league season with a victory on the weekend, chasing down a competitive target of 207 runs with just 2 balls to spare.

Needing 8 runs from the final over, Rob Lammiman showed great composure in lifting the fourth delivery over cover for six to seal the win.

Lammiman's cameo of 18 not out did justice to a spirited Ashtead run-chase in which Stewart Cameron and John Vaughan-Davies shared a crucial 100-run stand for the fourth wicket.

The partnership came after Ashtead's top three had fallen within the space of three overs on a deteriorating wicket. Cameron and Vaughan-Davies showed grit and enterprise, remaining positive in spite of the variable (and sometimes vicious) bounce of the Farnham strip.

Cameron's dismissal for a near-run-a-ball 64 inevitably stifled Ashtead's flow, and when several further wickets fell the momentum looked to have swung in Farnham's favour. But Ashtead ultimately handled the pressure of the chase to secure a three-wicket victory.

Earlier, Farnham had shown their home-turf experience by grinding out a hard-earned 207 runs. Opener Guy Hicks was the pick of the Farnham batsmen with 76 from 107 balls, but young debutant Tom Homes picked up Hicks' vital wicket near the end of a strong spell of left-arm orthodox.

Fellow debutant Conor Young then returned to the bowling crease and took the spoils with a superb second spell, finishing off the Farnham tail in the 48th over for highly impressive figures of 5 for 15.

With leading performances from Ashtead's young talent and a courageous run-chase, this is a promising start to the Stags' quest for promotion in 2013.