The 3s travelled to a new home venue,the picturesque Mynthurst ground for a vital penultimate match in the 2012 season, if we won and results went our way then Premier League status would be assured again.
And with a great team effort the Stags beat a youthful Sunbury side who mathematically could still have won the league. Batting first on what looked a bowler friendly wicket Ashtead were soon pegged back losing their top 3 for less than 35 runs. Then several key partnerships formed as Tom Culhane and Henry Weston put on 60 runs, Tom Culhane andJack Parkinson put on 40 and then Tom Culhane and Steve Donelan put on another 40 allowing the Stags to score a good 213 in their 50 overs with Tom Culhane scoring 55. This would be a competitive score on awearing pitch.
As we went out to bowl we knew early wickets were going to be key and in Alex Culhanes first over he clean bowled their opener. It was with tight quick bowling from Nikhil Waugh that pressure was mounting. Steve Donelan was introduced and got the other Sunbury opener in his first over well caught at slip byTom Culhane, Reshad Dotilova got a wicket clean bowled. Steve finished with 10-1-36-3 and after drinks was joined in some tight leg spin by Connor Caprano-Wint who bamboozled the Sunbury batters and finished with 9.1-3-14-3. Will Culhane also got 2 wickets and the Stags bowled Sunbury out for 122 in 42.1 overs.
As then the results of other games went our way Ashtead now sit in 6th place in the league and Premier League status is secured for another season. A good last few weeks with 3 wins in a row to secure our 2013 status.