10 more points for Ashtead continues promotion push

A solid batting performance on a tough wicket, followed by a rampant bowling display, showed that Ashtead could bounce back from last week’s disappointment at Epsom to claim all 10 points at Chessington, as the 50 over fixtures resumed in Division 2 of the Surrey Championship for 2014.

After being inserted on a pitch that had received some unexpected watering overnight, with a very damp outfield, the Stags knew that batting was going to be a challenge on the surface. After losing Jono Sole in the first over, Michael Sanderson and John Vaughan-Davies steadied the ship, and both batsmen attacked during the early overs. Perhaps the pitch would be proved wrong.

This theme continued for the first 15 overs, despite the loss of Vaughan-Davies during over 7, as Sanderson continued to pile on the runs. Andy Roberts did a sterling job of soaking up the dots at the other end, but when Sanderson went LBW for 36 in the 16th over, the runs began to dry up a tad.

However, after a couple of maidens, Roberts and Paul Harrison decided to up the ante, and the runs began to pour in again, as the ball found the boundary at regular intervals. However, the loss of both these batsmen, either side of the mid-innings drinks interval, left Ashtead reeling at 100-5 after 26.

Stewart Cameron and Conor Young then held out for a long 14 over partnership, soaking up the remaining overs while the spinners toiled. This proved an excellent strategy, as batting the full 50 over complement is essential. Young, playing against his old club, was eventually stumped for 16, with captain Tom Deighton befalling the same fate for a duck two overs later.

With 8 overs to go, the Stags had reached 140-7 – a tad light on the runs, given the Chessington batting order. The end of the spinners seemed to be the cue for action, although the ignominious run-out of Tom Williams did little to help the cause. A sterling cameo from Will Pereira, coupled with Cameron getting to 50, got the Stags to 180-8 off the 50 overs. Scorer’s comment: 30-40 runs light, but batting will be a challenge, and a couple of early wickets will swing the momentum to the visitors.

And those wickets certainly came early. By the end of the 15-over PowerPlay, the hosts were reeling at 41-4. This was down to a blistering opening pair, Pereira and Williams, who hit their areas excellently, combining pace and movement to cause the batsmen all sorts of problems.

It took just 3 overs to find the first wicket, Pereira finding the outside edge to give Roberts a regulation keeper catch. 5-1. This became 5-2, as Williams repeated the feat three balls later.

Williams then took two more wickets in an excellent spell, including the Chessington captain, to collect excellent figures of 3-20 from 10 overs. The introduction of Tom Homes into the attack for a couple of overs produced dividends immediately, removing the wicket-keeper for a duck, caught at slip by skipper Deighton, who left himself out of the attack for the time being.

His spin talent in the end wasn’t needed, as wickets tumbled. Stewart Cameron produced a fine spell for no wickets off his bowling, although a sharp bit of fielding on a return ball, deflected onto the stumps, dispatched the young prospect, Prince Singh, just 15, for 5.

Then a lengthy calm ensued, as overseas player Hamish Teale and Andy Robson started soaking up the balls, just as Ashtead had done in the first innings. They managed to see out the remainder of Homes’ overs – 10 overs for 14, an economical spell – but the match had gone. 13 overs to go, 106 to win.

The addition of Harrison and Vaughan-Davies into the attack saw a swift conclusion to the innings. Both bowlers took two wickets, as Chessington were rolled out for 92 in just under 45 overs.

A win for Chipstead, but only 9 points, gives Ashtead a 5 point lead at the top of Division 2, with 40 points on the table. Next week sees Dulwich come to Ashtead. The previous tight encounter saw a losing draw for Ashtead, but a win could easily have been achieved. Join us then.