Friendly XI v Ash (Away)
The final game of a very unusual season. For the second week I arrived late, due to reasons mentioned in other posts. This time, the match had already started and James had won the toss and we were batting.
Now I have been playing for over 40 years, even one match where snow was laying on the ground and it snowed during the game, but this is the coldest I have felt on a cricket pitch ever.
We were given an excellent start by Luke Shaw and Matt Scanlan, putting on 93 for the first wicket, the boundary was reached often with 12 fours and 4 sixes between them. After losing three wickets for 18 runs, Dean Freeman continued his form from the previous week and with the promoted Mick Sumner put on 129 for the 4th wicket, Dean was in amazing batting form, hitting 10 fours and 5 sixes in his 86.
I then went in and Mick brought up his own 50 and we even put on 22, before my batting season was summed up, with a golden duck, where the ball pitched and then just shot along the ground to be bowled!
Once time team mate David Harley son Ryan was the pick of the bowlers with 3-52
New Ash Green 273-7 from 40 overs – Luke Shaw 34, Matt Scanlan 69, Mick Sumner 55, Dean Freeman 86, Ryan Harley 8-0-52-3, Alex Piller 8-0-55-2, Carl Graham 3-0-32-2
In reply Ash Village were never in hunt, with a fiery opening spell by Felix Quantrill, backed up by some pretty sharp fielding which I have to say I led the way.
Ryan completed a fine game with 32, and then Graeme Moir with the returning injured Kieran Clements to hold out for a draw, it was a shame that a joke piece of fielding, happened more than once, which spoil the game for me.
Ted Quantrill completed a fine spell picking up 3 wickets to end the season in style
Ash Village 140-8 from 40 overs – Graeme Moir 40*, Ryan Harley 32, Felix Quantrill 6-3-9-3, Edward Quantrill 8-1-37-3 – match drawn.
After the match, Rob Bristow had turned up, which was impressive in this cold weather and we had a good chat, before we went off to see John Harley grave.
