Bells Yew Green Ladies v Ashford Ladies

The beautiful ground at Bells Yew Green was the setting for one of Ashford’s finest wins, a club record run chase seeing them come out on top in a high scoring game. Fielding first, Ashford had to get to grips with the ground’s big slope, with a drop of about six feet from the square to the boundary at one corner. They started well, with an early wicket from Hannah Merchant, but Bells Yew Green kept the scoreboard ticking over, not missing any chance of a run. They had added 70 for the second wicket when Yolandi Maynier made the breakthrough for Ashford, Hopkins giving herself a bit too much room for a shot, and hitting her own wicket. Ashford’s fielders all worked hard to cut off the boundaries and keep scoring to a minimum. Angharad Purser, Sarah Taylor and Katie Brown particularly frustrated the batsmen with their work on the short boundaries, keeping them down to singles. With wickets in hand, Bells Yew Green were able to attack in the final overs, hitting 66 off the last ten, although Ashford managed to pick up a couple of wickets, a good catch by Gill Bonham off Taylor’s bowling, and a stumping by Katie Butler off Purser’s.

Ashford had never scored as much as their target of 186 to win a match, batting second, but they started positively, keeping up with the required rate. Katie Butler was playing beautifully until she misjudged a cut and was well caught at point. Jenny Tippell then joined Gill Bonham, and the pair had added 59 together when Tippell was caught at silly mid off for 35. Hannah Merchant was next in, and wasted no time, hitting three fours before she was stumped, coming down the wicket to attack the bowling. Two more Ashford wickets quickly followed, but Angharad Purser got her side out of trouble with a run a ball 30, her powerful hitting finding the boundary five times. Gill Bonham had held the innings together with a beautifully judged 66, but she was out lbw in the final over. The new batsman came to the crease with Ashford needing two runs from the last four balls, but the Skipper, Becky Halls was up to the task. She guided her first ball to the third man boundary to seal a remarkable victory for her side, and put them in an even stronger position at the top of the league.

Alison McCreedy