Stylish Ashwell hit the ground running

ASHWELL enjoyed an excellent start to their new season with an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Eversden II in Cambridgeshire Junior Division 2. Fielding first, Ashwell took full advantage of the new ball, and within minutes the opening attack of Sam Ing

ASHWELL enjoyed an excellent start to their new season with an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Eversden II in Cambridgeshire Junior Division 2.

Fielding first, Ashwell took full advantage of the new ball, and within minutes the opening attack of Sam Ingrey and Russell Kemp had the Eversden batsmen on the back foot.

The returning James Higham and the resurgent Martin Talks were also in form, and the Ashwell bowlers made light work of Eversden's middle and lower order.

Eversden were all out for 76 in the 34th order.

Ashwell's reply began at a cracking pace, with Talks hitting a six and a four before he was bowled in the third over.

But any hopes of an Eversden revival were quickly quashed by an unbroken second-wicket stand of 63 between Martyn Deal (17) and Jonathan Merrell (43), and Ashwell coasted home at 79 for 1, taking an impressive 20 points.

- Ashwell will be competing in two cup competitions on Sunday.

The first team travel to Botany Bay in the National Village Cup, and in the Cambridgeshire Junior Cup Ashwell visit near neighbours Steeple Morden.