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South Downs College v Ashling

6th May 2007

Ashling 196-7 (40 overs) Ford 41; SDC 198-8 (33 overs) Ferguson 3-10

If you're going to lose your first game of the season, then at least make it one in which nearly 400 runs are scored in the afternoon and the game is played in a tremendous spirit of fun and sportsmanship. Havant Park was grey and windswept, but free of rain. Ashling won the toss and opted to bat. After the early departure of Bleach for 1, Paul Colley and Laurence Huntingford put on 35 for the second wicket before Huntingford fell for 16. Colley eventually contributed 20. Matt Sleep looked to be getting the hang of the hard and flat track before skying a full toss back to the bowler on 21. Craig Mason stuck around a long time for a useful 30, before a late cameo from Fergus Maclehose ended up being Ashling's top score of 41, including a six and five fours. James Ford chipped in with 22, and 196 looked a good enough total to win.

Ford had no luck early on with 16 runs disappearing over the heads of the slips, before he was eventually rewarded with the wicket of opener Parker. His 1-31 off six overs included no luck at all. MacLehose was the pick of the Ashling bowlers (6-1-10-3) and with SDC 40 for 4 Ashling seemed to be well on the way. A useful partnership between Wells and Clarke steadied the SDC ship, but with their departure and SDC six down for 102 all that was required was a mopping up excercise...enter Ollie Jones! The Havant first teamer quickly set about the Ashling attack, and the game swung away from Ashling. His 72 not out included a six and fourteen fours, and although Ashling took two further wickets, SDC picked off the runs with seven overs to spare.

In all a good game with no fewer than four debutants for Ashling; Adam Shaul, who took two catches and a sharp caught-and-bowled, MacLehose, Medway and Huntingford, all of which augurs well for a good season to come.