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This time the skip
was right it was away and he arrived with most of the team on time without
getting lost; that was a good start. Ashley
were hoping to end a losing streak of three and hoping to do the double over Winnington
Park. The toss was won by Ashley and the skip
elected to bat on a pitch where over 400 runs had been scored the previous
day.
Burgess and
Brownhill opened and on the 4th ball of the first over Burgess was dropped by Richardson
and the skip hoped to build off that stroke of luck. Some erratic bowling from Cormack and Stott
was being dispatched to the short side boundaries. The opening 50 partnership came up after 12
over’s and both openers were looking comfortable at the crease. Burgess hit Richardson for three successive
fours including a head high beamer which seemed to anger the bowler as the
next over he bowled Burgess with a ball with about 5 yards more pace than the
previous 4 over’s as the skip went for one shot too many however the opening
partnership of 72 off 16 over’s was the sort of start Ashley were hoping for
a score of around 200 was most definitely on.
Brownhill was joined by Ferris and the score progressed to 85 before
Ferris was caught. In came Eaton who is looking a promising player for Ashley
and along with Brownhill put on 31 in 8 over’s with Eaton scoring 19
including 3 beautifully timed fours.
Stott came back for a second spell and removed Brownhill and Eaton
with some good pace in his first comeback over and Ashley were 116 for 4 in
his third over he removed Burt and Horn and all of a sudden at 134-6 the
score of around 200 was looking far away.
With some sensible batting at the end from Agrawal and Furness they
hit 29 off the last six over’s and 172-8 was looking a more respectable
effort.
After a cracking tea
Ashley stepped out in positive mood as did the Winnington Park openers of Richardson and
Reissing and quickly put on 28 before Furness took a good catch at point off
Agrawal, this was to be the first of his three catches in the match. Burt
removed Reissing not soon after with his trademark Yorker and at 33 for 2
Ashley had the upper hand. However the new batsmen of J Woolley and Cormack
had other ideas and put together a stand of 63 in only 56 balls which quietend the Ashley XI. It was decided that the pace
needed to be taken off the bowling and Tierney was brought on followed by
Burgess. This
brought dividends as Burgess bowled Cormack for a hard hitting 32 off only 22
balls and 96 for 2 became 3. Tierney then had Woolley caught by Eaton to make
it 108-4 Burgess then had Stott well caught again by Eaton off a full toss and
Butcher followed caught by Furness
with a better ball 96-2 had become 113-6 which swiftly became 119-8 with
Burgess and Tierney taking another wicket a piece 6 wickets had fallen for
only 23 runs. Some dogged batting by
the Parks skipper Powell along with young Tracey looked to be holding out
until Burgess bowled one that kept low bowling him and the Ashley skip had
his second Michelle in as many weeks.
Agrawal was brought back to finish Winnington Park off and did so by bowling Johnson
and the rot was stopped; 25 points to Ashley and a deserved pint was had in
The Smoker on the way home.
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