Ashorne & Moreton Morrell Cricket Club

A couple of key incidents turned the game for TG in a more evenly contested match than the final score suggests. The visitors were put into bat on a damp slow wicket thanks to the week’s heavy rain and Ashorne’s bowlers took full advantage. The fiery Sharples had Kahn (11) caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Moon with the score on 17.

The introduction of Colin Reading’s searching medium pace accounted for T Benjamin (16). Frank Jones was not to be out done and Killian (27) tried to launch a good length ball over cover and Stirling took a superb catch. Reading Snr turned the screw further with 2 more wickets and he was good value for his figures of 4 for 26.Stirling was pressed into service due to skipper Ashworth’s continued back problem and was rewarded with Holt’s wicket. Ashfield and H Benjamin nursed the innings to a competitive 141 for 9 and the match was set fair.

TG opened up with spinners James (2for20) and Gibbons (1 for 29) and they did not disappoint. Jack Jones (9) injudiciously lofted a drive off James and was caught and a fine reaction catch by Ashfield to dismiss Stirling (3) off Gibbons gave the visitors an early advantage. Skipper Ashworth came to the wicket knowing his partnership with Sharples was key to his side’s success and he did not disappoint. He looked in good touch and accumulated 30 quick runs with the assured Sharples at the other end.

The match then turned on 2 pieces of individual brilliance. First Sharples (5) was run out at the non-strikers end when the bowler deflected a ferocious drive onto the stumps and then Russell took a marvellous catch inches off the floor to dismiss Ashworth (30) off Benjamin. At 52 for5 the home side never recovered and Ashorne’s batsmen melted away with the exception of debutant Tom Lewis (14) who showed great maturity before nicking one to the keeper. Moon (10 n.o) tried to salvage some pride with the tail but despite the best efforts of Colin Reading and Chris Barlow (1) Ashorne limped to 85 all out in the 42 nd over.Veteran Freeman now heads to the operating table for a knee reconstruction and his team mates wish him well.

Temple Grafton won by 46 runs