Cheshire County Cricket League Division 2
Ashton on Mersey CC 1st XI 141 all out
Lost to
Bollington CC 1st XI 144-4
Image: Tom Scott bats
Ashton began their delayed 2024 campaign on the wrong side of a hard-fought game at Bollington.
On a freezingly cold day, Bollington’s correct call at the toss proved crucial with Ashton having to bat first on a pitch which unsurprisingly showed the effect of the wet spring.
With the ball holding in the surface, batting was a case of survival rather than stroke making. The home attack exploited the conditions well, restricting Ashton to just 32 runs in the first 19 overs.
Ashton kept wickets in hand on the hope that conditions might improve later in the innings, and gradually the run rate improved as Tom Scott (31) and Fraser Hay (26) took advantage of anything loose.
But this was a pitch where hitting out needed both a brave heart and a great deal of luck, and whilst the former was clearly evident the latter was sadly absent from the Ashton innings.
The total of 141 was a sterling effort from the visitors given the circumstances. The Bollington bowling was generally excellent, with fine performances from Aldo Palazzo (3-16), George Lomas (2-28) and Muhammad Kashif (1-17).
In reply, the Bollington openers played aggressively from the start as the batting conditions eased. Wickets from Hay and Zaheer Khan stalled the advance and at 48-3 the match was in the balance. But calm cricket from Lomas (25) and Ross Duncan (34) took the home side to the brink, before Peter Henshall (26) took Bollington over the line with some lusty blows.
Zaheer finished with 2-24 and Hay with 2-44 as Ashton battled hard until the end. The spirit of the Ashton team and their effort in the field could not be faulted.
Ashton’s 2nd XI lost their first game of the season against a strong Upton side. Upton 226-5 (Tom Woods 96, Paddy Delaney 40) Ashton 156 all out (Kristian Green 37, Steve Mckinney 35, Joe Green 3-30).
The Ashton 3rd team lost their opening T20 match at home to Marple. Ashton 55-9, Marple 56-0.
Zaheer Khan bowls
