ASHWELL S winning start to their league season was extended by their third straight victory – which pushed them to the top of Cambridgeshire Junior Division One. Put in by Longstowe, Ashwell s Richard Young and Steve Parkhouse got the hosts off to a soli

ASHWELL'S winning start to their league season was extended by their third straight victory - which pushed them to the top of Cambridgeshire Junior Division One.

Put in by Longstowe, Ashwell's Richard Young and Steve Parkhouse got the hosts off to a solid start, adding 28 for the first wicket in seven overs, before Young was run out for 14.

Parkhouse went on to make 27, while Gary Simmons added 22, but by the 22nd over Ashwell had lost four wickets for just 76 runs.

However, the hosts' batting order has shown itself to have depth and adaptability, and Saturday proved no different.

Tim Moynihan continued his good early form by hitting 43 not out, and a quick-fire 27 from Martin Talks lifted Ashwell's score to a healthy looking 189 for 7 from their allotted 40 overs.

The Longstowe reply began on the back foot as a wicked outswinger from Russell Kemp (2 for 25) removed Hiles, and a yorker from Talks accounted for the dangerous looking Alford.

When AJ Cunningham bowled opener Marsh (18), Longstowe were wobbling at 47 for 4.

And the introduction of Gary Simmons (3 for 32) and Tim Moynihan (3 for 43) made matters worse for the visitors as the score stuttered to 55 for 6, before Murden launched a major counter attack.

As the required run rate climbed, Murden gradually ran out of partners though, and as a result Ashwell looked sure-fire winners.

However, a last wicket stand of 42 between Fox and Murden, who hit seven sixes and five fours in his innings of 82, gave Longstowe hope going into the closing overs.

And it took a fine one handed catch on the square leg boundary by Kemp to end the game, as Longstowe finished 28 runs short of Ashwell's score at 161 all out with 2.2 overs remaining.