Charlie Eaton bats
Cheshire County Cricket League Div 2
Ashton on Mersey 1st XI 66 all out
Lost to
North East Cheshire 1st XI 320-3
Ashton crashed to another ignominious defeat with a woeful performance at North East Cheshire.
Winning the toss and opting to bowl first on a pitch which promised to be challenging for any batsman, Ashton’s bowling attack totally failed to exploit the conditions. Rather than bowling a probing length to trouble the batsmen, a series of short and wide deliveries gifted runs from the start.
To add to Ashton’s inept effort, when chances did come their way, they failed miserably to take them. Nine catches were dropped in what became a nightmare day for the visitors.
The only bright spot came from teenager Charlie Eaton, making his first appearance for the 1st team this season, who showed his more experienced teammates how to bowl to get the most out of the conditions.
North East batsmen Jayden Camp (147 not out) and Jake Reynolds (120) feasted on the offerings of the Ashton bowling, allowing the home side to declare at 320-3 off just 40 overs.
If Ashton thought their day could not get worse, they were wrong. With the home bowlers simply using the abundant help that the pitch provided, they took two Ashton wickets in the first two balls of the innings.
The remaining Ashton batting fell apart, with a real risk that they would be bowled out for an embarrassing tiny total. But once again Charlie Eaton showed the application and skill lacking in the rest of the batting lineup to post a fine 41, being last man out with the score on 66.
Charlie Eaton bowls
Dave Oldfield finished with the remarkable figures of 5 wickets for 3 runs off 10 overs.
Ashton are in deep trouble this season and can only hope that the return of some key players and an honest rethink from some of the so-called senior players will help rescue the year.
The Ashton 2nd XI continued their fine season with a home win against Hale Barns. Ashton 227- 7 (Ryan Carey 54) Hale Barns 201 all out (S Jaiswal 111 not out).
