3s lose at Reigate

After the impressive win over league winners Wimbledon last week, Ashtead 3s travelled to Reigate but lost the toss and were asked to bat on another slightly damp wicket.

The Ashtead top order found it hard going as the ball was keeping low one end and Reigate were bowling well. We found ourselves 40-4 with the top order all out, then 113-8, but the lower order added valuable runs with the final wicket being taken to an amazing one handed catch and Ashtead were all out for 142 at the end of the penultimate over.

On a drying wicket Reigate found batting easier than we did and it wasn't until the score was nearing 50 that Ashtead got the break through with a good catch to Will Culhane off the bowling of Patrick Murray. The spin of Will Culhane and Connor Caprano-Wint slowed things up but could not get the breakthrough required, and it was two wickets from the returning James Graham that got Reigate 3 down, Reigate ran out winners when a wide was bowled with the scores level in the 39th over.

As we relinquish 2nd place in the league, Dulwich now behind league winners Wimbledon and Reigate now close behind in 4th, a strong finish in the final two games is needed to secure a high place in the league - Weybrige next week and already relegated Old Whit's the final game early in September.