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Ashling v Magpies

29th August 2005

Magpies 194-9, Ashling 198-7 (each 40 overs)

Chris Judd 3-26, Nick Loubser 73, Paul Colley 35, James Ford 22 n.o.

Photos: The victorious team
The captains shake hands

Report by Steve Harvey

This is a game that will live long in the memory. Ashling won the Ashlings trophy for the first time in a highly-charged game in which no quarter was given or asked by either side. As ever cricket was the winner with an excellent sporting spirit throughout and the bickering of previous weeks forgotten as both sides served up termendous entertainment.

Magpies won the toss and opted to bat. Chris Judd (8-1-26-3) struck in his first over with the usually reliable Jude Barker-Mill going lbw fourth ball. James Ford (6-1-29-0) was equally fiery from the other end while having little luck. Matt Sleep took a terrific one-handed chance in the covers to remove Dickson off the bowling of CJ. Yours truly (5-0-23-1) was brought on to tempt the batsmen into a mistake, and Bennett obligingly swung his bat and sent the ball down the throat of Judd at deep square leg. From 54-4 Magpies recovered to 110 chiefly due to a fine innings of 47 by Fowler. Murday (24) and Haddon (19) continued the revival before a Nick Jones catch off Ian King and a stumping by Paul Colley off Matt Sleep removed those respective batsmen. Last weeks dropfest was forgotten as your correspondent held on to a sharp catch at point to get rid of the stylish and dangerous Haresh Joshi (14) and Magpies eventual total of 194 was a competitive one. There was even time for a comedy interlude before the end as the unfortunate Nick Loubser was left rolling in agony on the outfield having taken a sizeable jolt from sitting on the electric fence at the far end of the ground. Great sympathy was forthcoming once everyone had stopped laughing.

Nick Loubser and Bob Traylen opened for Ashling and Bob was a little unfortunate to be given out caught behind down the leg side to a ball which may well have hit his thigh pad. Nick Loubser was in great form with the bat and received dogged support over the first 18 overs from Sleep (8), Simmonds (5) and Crundwell (12) before the fifth wicket pairing of Nick with Paul Colley at last started to make the 195 required look a distinct possibility. PC's 35 included two sixes and four fours before he was seventh man out on 167, Nick Loubser was out shortly before for a brilliant 73 including four sixes and six fours. Following a quick 7 from Ian King it was left to eighth wicket partners Chris Judd and James Ford to get the runs at a run a ball for the last four overs. Quick ones and twos were taken with the occasional hit for four, while Joshi and Rajiv tried to stem the flow. With three balls remaining a big hit through long on for four by JF brought the scores level. He played and missed at the next ball to build the tension and there was an extra piece of theatre as the bowler stopped at the wicket and warned Judd for backing up too far. At last the final bowl was bowled - full length on the middle stump and was dispatched by Ford to the same spot as two balls earlier. Cue celebrations, presentations and the high spot of the season to date!