Cheshire County Cricket League Division 2
Ashton on Mersey CC 1st XI 151 all out
Lost to
Congleton CC 1st XI 158 all out
Yousuf Bhamjee bowls
For the second week in a row Ashton on Mersey fell agonisingly short in their run chase, this time away at Congleton.
Choosing to bowl first on a poor batting surface with huge variable bounce, Ashton found the hosts in dogged mood as the top order batters ground out runs in the opening overs.
Only the excellent Meet Solanki seemed at home at the crease but even he struggled to bat fluently.
Ashton’s spinners worked through the Congleton middle order with Yousuf Bhamjee being the pick of the crop.
Only some long handled hitting from tail-enders Guy Baxendale and Sean Cardell saw the total move towards respectability, and this last wicket partnership of 28 proved crucial to the game’s outcome.
Bhamjee finished with 3-26 with Ed Faulkner backing him up with 3-43.
In reply the Ashton batters struggled to come to terms with the conditions, finding themselves in deep trouble at 62-6.
Dave Patterson and James Marshall steadied the ship with a grafting partnership of 48, but when Patterson was run out the game was in the balance.
Marshall worked hard to bring the target within sight but when he was adjudged lbw with the score on 138 the task looked beyond the visitors.
But a fine last wicket effort from Kris Green and Zaheer Khan took the total to within 9 runs of victory before a final ball kept low to dismiss Green.
Ashton can be proud of their efforts over the past few weeks with several decisions not going their way. They will be looking to show how good a side they are in the final weeks of the season.
Ashton’s 2nd XI kept their good run going with a fine win over Stockport at The Beets Ashton 228 all out (Ryan Carey 75, Suhan Shetty 68) Stockport 68 all out (Sam Thoburn 4-36).
The 3rd XI lost at home to Bramhall. Bramhall 244-6 (James Day 88) Ashton 109 all out (Abid Noor 4-21)
James Marshall bats
