June 2024

Cheshire County Cricket League Division 2 Ashton on Mersey CC 1st XI 231-5 Beat Alvanley CC 1st XI 229-7 Kris Green bowls Ashton recorded an excellent victory as they fought off the challenge of Alvanley in a fine game of cricket at The Beets. On a near perfect summer’s day, Ashton invited the visitors to bat first on what promised to be a fine batting track which would get even better during the day. Opening bowers Fraser Hay and Kris Green bowled well with little luck as Mike Rowlands and Stephen Charles put on 50 for the first wicket. The introduction of Charlie Eaton saw the breakthrough, as he dislodged Rowlands, taking a second wicket in his next over.  Ashton wobbled in the field with a number of dropped chances, but Jack Cumersdale clung onto a caught and bowled to remove veteran Andy Bennion. Spinner Zaheer Khan made the next breakthrough, removing Charles for a fine 53, but the Alvanley lower order kept pressing to move their score past 200. The final total of 229 was perhaps par for the day. Khan finished with well deserved figures of 3-48. In reply Ashton started steadily with Hugh Gibbons and Macca Hooton combating Alvanley’s  fine opening attack of  Chris Charles and Ieuan Morris. When Hooton fell, Gibbons was joined by Mike Roberts and together they built a 75 run partnership which moved the game Ashton’s way.  When they fell (Gibbons for a well made 58) Hay and Tom Scott took up the challenge and the victory target came into sight. Scott fell on the home straight but Hay hit the winning runs to finish unbeaten on 57. This was a superb game of cricket between two fine teams, played in a good spirit. Ashton will be very satisfied to have got the win, which moves them up to 5th in the table ahead of next week’s trip to Cheadle Hulme. Ashton’s 2nd XI went down to defeat at Maritime. Maritime 230 all out, Ashton 97 all out. The 3rd XI also lost at Bramhall. Ashton 165 all out (Steve Mckinney 66) Bramhall 168-2 (Josh Patel 101 not out­) Mike Roberts bats

Cheshire County Cricket League Division 2 Ashton on Mersey CC 1st XI 104 all out Lost to Maritime CC 1st XI 110 -2 James Marshall Batting Ashton on Mersey fell to defeat on a farcical day at promotion chasing Maritime. Heavy morning rain had left the ground sodden, with muddy areas across the square and the outfield. The pitch was water damaged and prospects for play looked slim as rain continued on and off through the day. But the home side worked hard to try and get the ground playable and their efforts should be applauded. Despite their work, the ground remained treacherously soft. Remarkably, the umpires deemed the ground fit for play at just before 5pm, with both sides allocated 24 overs each to bat. Ashton were asked to bat first on a pitch which still showed signs of the water damage, and it soon became clear that this was no surface for stroke makers, as the ball stopped and cut on a deck that could not be trusted. Runs only came through hitting out and hoping for the best. Skipper James Marshall led the way with a fighting 36, but the rest of the strong Ashton batting line up was neutralised by the conditions and a lack of luck as aerial shots went straight to fielders who would have struggled to make ground had they needed to move. Some tail order hitting by Kris Green got the score above 100 and the fact that only he and Marshall reached double figures shows the impact of the conditions. In reply, the Ashton bowling was hindered by the wet run ups. The normally potent seam attack of Marshall and Fraser Hay needed a firm footing to perform as they can, and this was denied them by the conditions. The Maritime attack, based on spin and medium pace had been  less hampered by the conditions, which may, no doubt, have influenced their enthusiasm to play. Despite some early wickets the result was never in doubt as the Maritime batters hit out to win the game easily, with a rapid 50 from Kankanange. This game should never have been played. Fielders could not run and it was only by luck that no-one was injured. Whilst the desire to get a game on is admirable, allowing a game to proceed as a reward for efforts at “mopping up” when the ground remained unfit for play was a dreadful error. Ashton’s 2nd XI lost to Congleton at The Beets in another game impacted (although much less so) by the weather. Congleton 173-8 (Stephan Stubbs 64, Ayush Chakrabati 5-31)  Ashton 128 all out (Owen Lees 4-25). Kris Green