ASHWELL got back to winning ways with a resounding win against Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire Division 2SA. Batting first, Ashwell got off to a lively start. Taking advantage of a very quick outfield and short boundaries, Ashwell overcame the loss of thei

ASHWELL got back to winning ways with a resounding win against Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire Division 2SA.

Batting first, Ashwell got off to a lively start. Taking advantage of a very quick outfield and short boundaries, Ashwell overcame the loss of their opening batsmen with a fine performance from the middle order. Matt Skelding dealt largely in fours and sixes in making 56.

Gary Simmons made a punchy 31, but the innings was built around an excellent 100 from Steve Parkhouse, making his first appearance of the season.

Parkhouse began watchfully but soon accelerated, and once past his half-century really picked up the scoring rate. With help from Gavin Donaldson, and a cameo from Tom Wallace, Parkhouse led Ashwell to an above par 271-6 from their 40-over allocation.

Bassingbourn's reply began with ominous intent - a big hit rattling the tiles of the pavilion roof in the second over - but once Ashwell's opening bowlers hit their stride the wickets began to tumble.

Philip Graves picked up three wickets at a cost of 33 runs from his 10 overs. Matt Skelding was the star of the show as he followed up his half-century by taking 7-27 from 9.2 overs.

Bowling a good length to exploit the pitch conditions, both Graves and Skelding were backed up by some good catches in the field, as Bassingbourn were restricted to 66 all out in the 20th over.

With both NCI and Great Chishill also recording victories at the weekend, Ashwell's battle for promotion to Junior Division 1 looks set to run for a few weeks yet.

There was much at stake on Saturday as Steeple Morden entertained Sawston III, the team occupying the place immediately above them.

Steadied

Tim Tidey won the toss and put Sawston into bat on a dry wicket with a degree of cloud cover.

The visitors suffered an early loss, W Russell caught off the bowling of Jack Tidey (1-42) with the score on 10. G Russell (18) and P Hodgson steadied the ship, putting on 51 for the second wicket before Russell was dismissed by Paul Jarman (2-25).

M Bradford (9) followed soon afterwards, again falling victim to Jarman and leaving Sawston on 70 for 3 after 18 overs.

P Tibble joined Hodgson at the crease and together they added 76 and were looking very comfortable but Steve Bailey (1-25) bowled Tibble (27) in the 36th over.

Darren Jarman (1-50) dispatched R Boatman (2), who holed out to a fine catch by Jack Tidey on the boundary, but Hodgson (80) carried his bat in the total of 176-5 in their 40 overs.

The home side started slowly and lost Bailey in the fourth over with just nine on the board, and things did not get any better when P Jarman was caught behind off R Hodgson for just two leaving Morden stuttering on 16-2 off eight overs.

Phil Saich (59 not out), in the side for the injured John Anderson, looked in fine form and kept the scoreboard turning over regularly.

Max Carlton (55) continued his fine run of late, easing the score up to a more respectable 108 before being caught off the bowling of Tibble.

Duncan Warner (38 not out) was the perfect foil for Saich and together the edged Morden towards the required total.

At times it was nailbiting stuff as the advantage seemed to ebb and flow between the two sides, and the sun was disappearing over the horizon by the time four byes off the bowling of Bradford took Morden to 177-3 in 37.3 overs.

The win means that Morden completed a league double over Sawston III and leapfrogged them into second place.