Ashtead vs Normandy

Another fine summer's day and a good batting track at Ashtead, saw Normandy race away with Friedlander and Williams both suffering. Friedlander's 4 overs cost 27 runs. Williams was also expensive, but was to come back well later in the day. With 103 for the first wicket, Normandy had the perfect base to build from. Grice took full advantage of this for his 94, until he fell right at the death with the score on 294, caught by John Vaughan-Davies as one of a couple of wickets for Tom Williams in his come-back spell.

The Ashtead bowlers tried hard and in the middle period of the innings made some inroads with Cope picking up a couple of wickets and pegging Normandy back to a more respectable 166 for 4. However, an excellent 5th wicket stand of 130 odd between Huw Jones and Howard Grice, effectively took the game away from Ashtead and left them with a formidable chase.

A good chance was essential for Ashtead, but unfortunately, that was not to be. Sanderson fell in only the second over of the innings and Gary Martin was to follow soon after, to leave Ashtead reeling at 18 for 2. Stew Cameron bravely took the fight back to Normandy, smashing a quick fire 20, including 1 six and 2 fours, before a mistimed drive saw him fall to a fine catch in the deep.

Throughout all this, Fred Davies batted with a calmness and assurance, which was notably absent in his more experienced partners. Accumulating 56 runs to add to a very creditable 10 over spell, what was desperately needed was for someone to stick with him. Unfortunately that was not to happen and when he fell with the score at 131, that was effectively it for Ashtead. Ashtead finished 124 runs short to leave them in deep trouble at the bottom of the table. The only saving grace for them was that with Dulwich and Farnham both losing, the battle for survival in Div 1 is still on.