Ashwell (113 all out) lost to Burwell (243-8) by 130 runs. ASHWELL S hopes of climbing away from relegation trouble in Cambridgeshire Senior Division Three were dealt a blow by defeat at Burwell on Saturday. Burwell s compact ground and quick outfield has

Ashwell (113 all out) lost to Burwell (243-8) by 130 runs.

ASHWELL'S hopes of climbing away from relegation trouble in Cambridgeshire Senior Division Three were dealt a blow by defeat at Burwell on Saturday.

Burwell's compact ground and quick outfield has been host to a number of high scoring games this season and with even defensive shots racing to the boundary in the early overs, the Ashwell fielders could sense they were in for a long afternoon.

Martin Talks (3-51) and Gary Simmons (1-55) both picked up an early wicket apiece, but a partnership of 80 between Summerskill (41) and James (41) laid the foundations for a Burwell assault in the closing overs of their innings.

Williams (54) and then Stannard (29no) batted well - scoring quickly without taking undue risks.

Matt Skelding took two wickets for 58 and Tom Wallace finished with figures of 2-34 as Burwell reached the end of their 45 overs with a daunting 243-8.

In reply, Ashwell knew that two of their top order batsmen would need to weigh in with big scores to bring the target within range, but despite a couple of batsmen getting starts nobody could make the big score that might have propelled Ashwell to a win.

Ashwell had reached 85-2 when both Tom Wallace (29) and Gary Simmons (28) were lost in the space of an over.

When Martyn Deal was run out in the following over by a direct hit aimed at one stump from the mid-wicket boundary, the game was all but up.

There was time for some belligerent hitting from Martin Talks (19), but the rest of Ashwell's batting folded for 113.

On Sunday, Ashwell beat Preston by three wickets.

Preston were dismissed for 138 (Mark Clark taking three wickets for no runs in 5 overs), and Ashwell made 139-7. Alex Perry top scored with 58 and Alec Percival hit the winning runs and ended unbeaten with 32.

Next up for Ashwell is Saffron Walden at home on Saturday.