Team display keeps Ashwell in the title hunt

A SOLID all round performance ensured Ashwell kept second spot in Cambs Junior Division 1B with a commanding nine-wicket win against Bar Hill.

Having won the toss, the visitors put Ashwell in to bat, and quickly reduced the hosts to 20 for 2 courtesy of some cool play from Dean (3-49) and Holt (1-18).

Tom Wallace and Ashwell skipper Jonathan Merrell sought to find a balance between rebuilding the innings and achieving a defendable total.

Merrell was eventually caught at cover for 56 from Dean's slower ball, ending a stand of 86 that had lifted Ashwell to 106 for 3.

In the closing overs, Wallace remained at one end to make an unbeaten 31, while Tim Moynihan and Gary Simmons came and went in trying to increase the score further.

Russell Kemp however, played the best innings of the afternoon, dispatching a flagging Bar Hill attack to all parts of the field in a quick-fire cameo of 35 not out.

Ashwell closed on 172 for 5, which was probably above par in the circumstances.

Bar Hill's reply began with an aggressive intent, 10 runs coming from the first over.

But thereafter the opening pairing of Russell Kemp and Martin Talks found a consistent line and length allied to some movement off the pitch.

Kemp bowled his 10 overs straight through to finish with figures of 4 for 20.

Bar Hill had no joy with Ashwell's change bowling either, as Tim Moynihan took 2 for25, and Gary Simmons was virtually unplayable in his spell of eight overs for just 11 runs.

The bowlers were also well supported in the field, with three catches for Gary Simmons, and two for Steve Parkhouse.

It was left to the occasional seam bowling of Tom Wallace (2 for 10) to cap a confident performance, and bring the curtain down on the match with Bar Hill well short of their target on 105 for 9 and Ashwell winners by 67 runs.