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Ashling v Harry Baldwin's Occasionals

10th July 2005

Ashling 188-7, HBO 140 all out

Matt Sleep 47, James Ford 43, Nick Jones 4 for 8

The weather was hot and dry and the outfield at last looked like it might reward the batsman for their shots. So it proved, Ashling ran out with yet another win in this record-breaking season with over 300 runs being scored on the day between the two sides.
Ashling had first go and got off to their now customary slow start. Dick Holden departed without scoring and Nick Loubser was desperately unlucky to be run out for 14 when the bowler deflected a Matt Sleep drive onto the stumps with Nick out of his ground. Ashling then hit a purple patch with Sleep eventually making 47 before being given out to an lbw decision that he felt was harsh but I felt was totally justified - OK sorry Matt, it looked out to me at the time! Nick Jones (19) and Paul Colley (12) made useful contributions before James Ford came to the wicket and made a buccaneering 43 runs in short time including six fours. There was still time for Craig Mason to make an excellent 33 coming in at number seven and even Rob Lawrence's golden duck couldn't dent Ashling's optimism upon posting 188 for 7.

Ashling's bowling line-up was again missing the pace of Chris Judd who still had work commitments (back next week Rogate!) but the opening salvo from Rob Lawrence and James Ford soon had HBO on the back foot with Taylor going early to Lawrence and Villiers falling to Ford. HBO scored steadily after that, and when the burly Hope came to the wicket he set about the bowling with a ferocity that looked like he could win the game on his own. When Hope was run out having made 65 the game was swinging Ashling's way, but HBO might have expected more of their lower order batsmen, the last five of whom contributed precisely zero between them! Nick Jones was the pick of the bunch on a day when seven bowlers all made a useful contribution, cleaning up the tail end with figures of 5-2-8-4.