3s complete strong win over Walton on Thames

Ashtead travelled to Walton on Thames after two recent defeats and were looking for a victory with a strong looking side on paper.

Walton won the toss and inserted Ashtead on a damp wicket that had been open to the downpour the day before. Skipper Tom Culhane got off to a strong start and raced into his 40s as the Walton bowlers lacked discipline.

Tom was first out for 43 with the score on 60, the only other high point of the innings being Taylor Rice-Burnett's battling 39 off nearly as many overs as the rest of the Ashtead line-up slumped to 129 all out in the 42nd over. The wicket was not easy at all as it was drying in the sun and wind and with Ashtead's bowling this was going to be a good contest. And so it proved

Ashtead seamers opened up and soon had Walton in trouble at 14-3 as Henry Elburn (3-7) bowled a superb line and length on a jumping pitch beating the bat with regularity. Dunn and Martin equally bowled incredibly well with no luck and then the spin of Will Culhane (3-20) was introduced who grabbed the next 3 wickets and with a run out Walton found themselves teetering at 42-7. Connor Caprano-Wint (3-8) replaced the miserly Martin and cleaned up the tail with the final 3 wickets and Walton were all out for 70.

A fantastic team win by 59 runs puts Ashtead in the top half of the table with 2 wins out of 4 after the first round of overs matches. We go into the game next week against the same opposition but revert to the timed format.