Weekend of 14/07/2007 to 15/07/2007

Now it's Linden Park's turn to feel the Paine!

Ashford 1st team consolidated their position in the table with a 4 wicket win over Linden Park at Ball lane on Saturday, completing the double over the Tunbridge Wells side this season.

Choosing to bat first, Linden were soon in trouble when Nad Campbell had Shanley caught by Stuart Paine at midwicket and then picked up Anson taken at cover by Julian Day to leave them 20 for 2. Alex Watson bowled superbly, bowling 10 overs for only 28 runs, but saw two chances go down before he was replaced by Simon Taylor. Taylor immediately got Green, again well taken by Paine at midwicket and Shannon Fattore clean bowled McDonald to leave Linden's skipper Stuart Clarke and former skipper Jon Harvey trying to repair the early damage. Off-spinner Ali Neale replaced Fattore and he and Taylor bowled great lines and both batsmen struggled to push the score on. Clarke had reached a patient 32 when he was superbly caught at long off by Gary Sutton, but Harvey continued to keep the bowlers at bay until the return of Campbell. Campbell got Harvey for 45 before wrapping up the tail to finish with excellent figures of 5 for 28. Taylor took 3 for 53 and Neale 1 for 44 as the Park were dismissed for 169 in the 48th over.

The Ashford innings started brightly with Day taking 16 off Kenny George's first 10-ball over. Unfortunately though, Brazier was caught behind first ball and then Fattore was run out for 0 following a mix up with his skipper. Day was then bowled for 20 and Gary Sutton (19), who looked in good form, became a second run out victim. When Liam Tegg (14) was LBW, it left The Ants 100 for 5 with 30 overs to go. Si Taylor was harshly adjudged to have edged a ball to first slip and Ed Spencer joined Stuart Paine with 25 overs remaining and 65 runs still required. For the second week running, Paine played beautifully and with Spencer playing a confident supporting role, the pair edged the town side towards their target. Paine reached a well deserved fifty with a trade mark cover drive and with 3 overs remaining Spencer hit the winning runs through cover point to take the 16 points. Spencer finished on 24 not out whilst Paine remained unbeaten on 56 following on from his match winning 62 not out the previous week.

The win sees the Ants in third place, but with leaders Gravesend losing to Downham & Bellingham, only 4 points now separate the top 3. Ashford now travel to Gravesend in what promises to be an important few weeks of cricket.

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Linden Park 169 all out (48.5 overs) (N.Campbell 5-28, S.Taylor 3-53, S.Fattore 1-14)

Ashford 170-6 (47 overs) (S.Paine 56*, E.Spencer 24*, J.Day 20)

Won by 4 wkts

In their promotion push Ashford were looking for maximum points from their trip to Old Colfeians but did not start off too well when asked to bat first. James Anthony was bowled in the second over and whilst Assan Raza and Charlie MacLeod consolidated, runs were hard to come by and when these two were also out Ashford were three wickets down for only 31 runs after 17 overs. With Tony Rolfe also perishing Chris Senior and acting skipper Ben Ealham then lifted the scoring rate but after both looked set they then both succumbed in the pursuit of quick runs, each making 23. Colin Paine after a couple of trusty blows went the same way and at 114-7 with 15 overs still remaining Ashford were deep in trouble. However a superb partnership between Ben Spencer and Dean Clark rescued the situation with Spencer eventually falling for an invaluable 37. With the score on 176-9 Simon Berry joined Clark who by this time was really striking the ball well confidently despatching the returning opening bowler to all parts of the ground. He deservedly reached his maiden league 50 and with Berry also making a useful 15 not out Ashford closed on 216-9.

Ashford set about their bowling task with Mohsin Raza and Colin Paine opening up but they were unable to grab an early breakthrough. Ben Spencer eventually got the all important first wicket and quickly followed up with a second and with Ben Ealham also clean bowling the opener Ashford looked to be making good inroads. However a fourth wicket partnership between Andrew Batchelor and Neil Whitehead looked to be taking the game away from Ashford as Colfeians were 163-3 with 10 overs remaining. However Ealham and Spencer then struck again in quick succession and with Colfeians striving for victory wickets tumbled rapidly with Spencer for the second week running being the main destroyer with an excellent 6-47 from 14 overs. However it was not quite enough as Colfeians clung on to a draw at 194-9 leaving Ashford to take 14 points from a winning draw to move them up to second in the table ahead of this week's crucial game with leaders Bromley Common.

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Ashford 216-9 (50 overs) (D.Clark 54*, B.Spencer 37, C.Senior 27)

Old Colfeians 194-9 (50 overs) (B.Spencer 6-44, B.Ealham 3-39)

Winning Draw

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