We'd played their Friendly XI on a Sunday earlier in the season in what was a close affair. Saturday, however, was expected to be far more challenging. They have great facilities and probably the best wicket any of us had encountered this season. It was also obvious they would be pretty strong, replete with League players. Given all this, a timed match seemed a more than reasonable proposal from Skipper Connolly. But they weren't having any of it and 40 overs were agreed, with Ashford winning the toss and batting first.

From ball one it was clear we were gonna have a tough day, as their opener laced Giordy's loosener to the cover point boundary. The field Canelo could set hampered by the fact two of our players had still to get to the ground. Ashford had lent us a fielder but he got bored and walked off after six overs, with no one on their team offering to replace him. Eventually we did have a full complement and by that time, to both Giordy and John Walton's eternal credit, they'd bowled well and more than had us in the mix, removing three of the top four with genuine edges, all nicked to Lonnen at 1st Slip. By the close of the innings, they'd taken two each and Giordy had reached the superb milestone of 40 wickets for the season. The improvement in this guy is outstanding, by the way. He's always had the ability to move the ball but the fact that he has worked hard in the nets to bring some consistency to his bowling and now understands that dot balls create pressure, and that then brings wickets, should not be underestimated. Plenty could learn the same lessons.

Ashford were on about 150 at drinks and the ten overs afterwards was easily our best period in the field. Bowlers kept it tight and the fielders all upped their game (Niraj Tailor, as ever, putting his body on the line and chasing down everything he could) as we tried really hard to squeeze the life out of the oppo's batting. Unfortunately, we then let all the hard work slip in the last ten overs as they ran hard for everything and punished anything even slightly loose. Numbers 7 & 8 both scored half centuries despite Messrs Grant, Naidoo and Goel picking up a wicket each. Innings closed on 282 for 7.

I think it's fair to say, Leo had ruminated over the batting order all week. It's always tricky when your team is stacked with natural middle order players and in the end, he opted to give Callum and Van the opportunity to open. One opening bowler looked very tidy indeed with a very strong, well-coached action and the other bowled a heavy ball in good areas relentlessly. In fact, all the Ashford frontline bowlers were pretty good and runs were hard to come by. Daley played a loose shot and Barnard nicked one to be very well taken down low by second slip, before Van, who'd ridden his luck a fair bit was really unfortunate to play on five runs short of a fifty. Lonnen hung around for a bit, and so did the Skipper, as Angus Osborne tried valiantly to put up some sort of resistance and keep it from becoming really embarrassing. He too fell a few short of what would've been a well deserved fifty.

It has to be said at this point, proceedings started to take on a somewhat farcical guise, as the opposition, comfortable in the fact they were miles ahead in the game and always going to register a comfortable win, basically just started to dick around. Incessant chatter and laughter from every single player between every delivery, little races between each other at the end of overs, deliberately fielding poorly, appealing for everything, going mental when a decision wasn't given, etc. etc. Leo even spoke to their Captain about the lack of respect they were showing to us and the game, yet nothing changed. I can accept losing. I can accept mismatches. But when an opposition so blatantly disregards all manner of conformity and respect for the game, that crosses a line. Once they'd settled the match, skittling our tail for very few and bowling us out 130 runs short of the target, they then compounded their error by literally fighting amongst themselves during the clear up. Simply ridiculous behaviour! I, for one, won't be rushing to go back there...

Anyway, credit to our boys on the day. Yes, we were outclassed, but we played the game the right way, shook hands and took our medicine well. Hopefully, we can all reflect on better days we've had this season and what, overall, has been a successful season for the Club.

I'm off to rest my tired, old body and to try and get my arms working properly again by April next year!!

Plough on.

TL