Frustrated again - Twos have to settle for winning draw

At home and hoping to continue last week's good work, losing the toss did not bode well. Put in to bat Ashtead's openers Gary Martin and George Tyson set up a steady if rather slow partnership taking opportunities when offered. Guildford's bowlers struggled and both batsmen reached their 50s and a partnership of 119 before Martin was finally bowled by Chris Weill for 58 in the 30th over. George (59) followed soon after bowled by Jonathan French. Josh Pickering was welcomed back after injury and made a useful 42.

A couple of cheap wickets went but in general Guildford's bowlers struggled. Chris Weill bowled for 21.5 overs taking 3 wickets but at a cost of 90 runs, while the other wickets were shared between Jonathan French and Jonathan Charles while Josh Rix bowled most frugally, giving away only 39 off his 12 overs. Steve Tyson, Danny Palmer and Simon Feeney all progressed Ashtead's score to set a decent target before declaring on 238-6 after 49.5 overs.

Tea was had and the Stags were hopeful. Unfortunately it was not to be a bowler's day and it wasn't until the 18th over that the first Guildford wicket fell, Julian Hare (25) lbw to Len Sanderson with the score on 60. For the first 20 overs Guildford were just up on the run rate, despite the frugal bowling of Nikhil Waugh (9-4-0-25), but the pairing of Len Sanderson and Sam Homes soon put the lid on the runs. Seasoned performer Sanderson was the only one of the 8 "bowlers" tried by the Stags to take any wickets and he finished with the enviable figures of 15-7-4-22.

Despite the persistence of Jonathan French at the crease, Guildford were struggling to make the runs and were well behind the rate required when a determined captain Henry Straw came to the crease at number 6. Despite a relatively speedy 50 off 58 balls from Straw, it was soon clear that Guildford had given up looking for the win and were content to block the ball at every opportunity, denying Ashtead's bowlers much chance of wickets. Guildford finally made it to 165-4 off their 51 overs, pitifully short of the target of 239, and sadly Ashtead had to settle again for only the 4 points for a winning draw rather than the much needed win.