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Ashling v Hants V Volunteers

20th May 2007

Ashling 244-9 (40 overs) Loubser 92, Sleep 62: HVV 59 all out; Ford 5-21, Mason 3-13

A pretty one-sided game ended up in a 185 run victory. A soft and benign looking wicket turned out to be full of tricks, and Matt Sleep's decision to bat first looked questionable as the ball reared, shot, cut and popped off the track. Colley and Sleep survived early on and found strategies to cope until Paul Colley was caught for 12 fending off a ball which bounced higher than expected. Martell went cheaply but Nic Loubser had a good look at the bowling before cutting loose. The third wicket partnership was the key one for Ashling, yielding 90 runs before Sleep was out for 62. Matt's departure sparked something of a collapse with Ford (1), Medway (0), Huntingford (6) and Mason (6) all appearing and disappearing with some rapidity. Adam Shaul (17) stuck around long enough to give Loubser a chance at a century, but unfortunately Nic holed out to long on for 92. Harvey (7) and veteran Grieshaber (1) finished the scoring.

Only Potts (11) managed to get into double figures for Hants, and a combination of James Ford's pace, Craig Mason's accuracy and the uncertain bounce quickly accounted for the Hants top order. Ford's 5 for 21 included two caught and bowled, and Ashling didn't miss a catch all afternoon. It only took 14.3 overs to see off Hants, and an early pint was very welcome in the warm sunshine.