Ashorne & Moreton Morrell Cricket Club

Following Saturdays last over thrill at Winchcombe, the Sunday boys went one better and stunned Grafton with two balls to spare after both teams witnessed maiden centuries by their openers. Because Ashorne struggled with player availability Grafton graciously lent us their number 11 and 12 to make it a ten a side contest. Grafton elected to let the visitors melt in the field first with instant results as the opening pairing of Hussleby & Potter bowled with width for the first few overs gifting the home side a great start.

Once the line was found things tightened up. Openers Mann & Young had to scratch around once the ever late Tony Reed and the ever stylish Walter Goonewardane joined the attack. Not many chances were given and the middle of the bat was elusive at times, probably due to concentrating on sledging Walter rather than scoring runs, which in the end was good for Ashorne morale. Debutant Jake Hobbs took the wicket of Young after scoring a polished 30 only to be replaced by Phil Stanley who promptly started about the bowlers joined by Mann who had reached his fifty and now raced toward his maiden ton taking four boundaries in one over.

Hussleby returned to the attack, after switching from keeping with Nat Mockler who managed to contain the rampant pair, and promptly removed Stanley’s wood work. The nervous nineties kept the run rate down as the crowd grew silent with amazement, bursting in to loud applause and abuse once Alan reached his landmark. Grafton made it to 40 overs losing only 2 wickets and leaving Mann stranded on 104 not out, setting the Ashorne the mammoth task of finding 224 runs in their arsenal.

Tea as usual at Grafton was top draw. Sarnies, cakes, scones with cream and cool water melon which Tony Reed demolished, trying to get a whole slice in, in one go.

Suitably weighed down with tea Dave Locket & Tom Hussleby were dispatched to do battle against a confident Grafton. Also bowling with width Grafton allowed the visitors to keep up with the run rate while Tom made himself comfortable. The duo were looking good with shots to all parts of the ground giving Ashorne the dream start needed to mount an attack on the seemingly impossible target, until a miss-communication led to Lockett being left stranded in the middle of the wicket. Run out after a solid 28, with the pair putting on nearly a hundred.

John Barlow joined Tom and was caught after going for another big four to try and bring the rate back a bit after Alex Hopkins & Howard Benjamin bowled their miserly eight overs each. Alex Allen, well known in Grafton circles as an all or nothing batsman pulled up to the plate and dispatched to all points leaving the home skipper Alex Hopkins pondering how to stop the rot with two players finding the middle of the bat with ease. Hughes was his man, caught & bowled job done, or so he thought.

Luke Potter made a spirited start ably supporting Hussleby who by now was looking at two targets. Hughes & Stanley bore the brunt of things as Tom wound up with fours and sixes flying off the bat confidently with great placement. Potter was run out with four overs to go and less than twenty needed. Joined by debutant Jake, the rate slowed again making the boys on the bench very nervous and Grafton sensing things were finally going their way.

Tom reached his maiden ton with a quick single at the start of the penultimate over to great applause from the gallery. Putting his sensible head back on (yes I really did say that) again took another quickie to regain strike and another vital boundary and Tom off strike. Needing 10 off the last over the pressure was on both sides and the ground was almost silent. Seven off three after a scurried single first ball left Tom with no options, so the biggest six of the day was launched over the cars followed by a cut four to seal the victory with a fantastic innings of 113no.

Grafton couldn’t believe they had let such a total slip through their hands, all they could do was go to the Golden Cross to commiserate and celebrate a fine innings by Alan Mann. A great game played in the true cricket tradition of sportsmanship and humour as usual with the first Sunday win for Ashorne this year.