Ashford beat Finchley Gunns 2 by 115 runs

Ashford 196 – 7 (Becky Halls 68*, Krishna Shah 9-1-32-4)
Finchley Gunns 2 81 (Keely Juster 26, Yolandi Maynier 8-5-15-4)

Ashford reinforced their place at the top of Division 1 with an outstanding team performance, giving them their first ever win over close rivals, Gunns. Batting first on the hottest day of the year so far, Ashford once again made a steady start. Gill Bonham and Becky Halls saw off the new ball, batting with care on a ground still recovering from the winter’s floods. Krishna Shah then picked up two wickets, but Ashford quickly began to rebuild. Jenny Tippell was the first to join her Captain, Halls, and together they took the score over 50. The next partnership was between Halls and Angharad Purser, who took the attack to the bowlers, cracking five boundaries. After fourteen overs together the pair had added 64, when Purser was bowled for 26. Hannah Merchant increased the run rate, with 21 off just 22 balls, and the lower order helped Halls add 32 more. Halls carried her bat through the innings, finishing unbeaten on 68, and leading her side to a total just short of 200.

The Gunns openers never really looked comfortable, and Hannah Merchant soon picked up Ashford’s first wicket, a thin edge safely caught by Rhianna Southby behind the stumps. Yolandi Maynier entered the attack, and got another almost at once, well caught by Katie Butler. A poorly judged single accounted for Gunns’ third wicket, with Southby completing the run out after a fine throw from Jenny Tippell. Ali McCreedy got the next batsman lbw, then Maynier took the middle order apart, to record her best bowling figures for Ashford. Gunns had fallen well behind the required rate, but Keely Juster was not giving up without a fight. Her partners at the other end couldn’t stay with her, however, Jenny Tippell and Angharad Purser each picked up a wicket to bring their side to the brink of victory. Juster was the last to fall, Tippell smashing the stumps to seal the win, by a huge margin.

A superb performance by the whole team, the victory set up by the batsmen, and finished off in the field – the bowlers were supported by excellent fielding, with almost all chances held, and many runs saved, in particular by Amy Evans. Ashford’s finest ever start to a season should see them stay on top of the league, eagerly awaiting their visit to second placed Guildford in two weeks time.

Alison McCreedy