On Saturday Ashburton first team travelled to play a Shaldon team who they had lost to in the reverse fixture.
Skipper Ashley Berry won the toss and elected to bat butTshepo Legodi (3 for 42) picked up two early wickets, including the in-form Lloyd White for a duck, to reduce them to 24 for 2. Berry and Dan Coles (31) rebuilt the innings with a partnership of 96 at nearly a run a ball and then Arun Karthick (25) helped Berry take the score to 162. Three quick wickets then fell, two to run-outs, to leave Ashes 163 for 6 with 15 overs remaining. Berry and Will Coon (10) took the score to 209 for 8 before Berry fell for an excellent 91, Josh Couch (3 for 55) picking off both. Chris Yeo then produced a fine display of hitting with 30 no off of just 24 balls before Ashburton were bowled out for 241 with 20 balls of their innings remaining.
The Shaldon reply was dominated by a brutal innings of 73 off of just 43 balls by Karl Blackburn. After 11 overs Shaldon were 100 for 1, the dangerous Ruben Minnaar the man out, dismissed for 12 by Arun Karthick. Then Matt Churchill dismissed Blackburn and Karthick (4 for 40) and Churchill (4 for 48) proceeded to run through the Shaldon middle order reducing them to 118 for 7. Legodi (39) kept the game alive for a while with some big hitting but when Matt Coon (2 for 7) dismissed him Shaldon were all out for 193 with more than 13 overs of their innings remaining.
After the game skipper Berry said "Finally winning the toss was helpful on a hot day fit for a BBQ. Once again the guys showed good depth and resilience. We talk a lot about belief and it's importance and, after their openers got off to a flying start, it can be easy to just give up. However we rallied well and managed to turn it around for a good win.".
Skipper Ashley Berry who scored 91 at the weekend
Ashburton second team looked to end a losing run when they entertained Plympton 3rds.
After winning the toss and losing early wickets they were in a precarious position at 47 for 4. Marcus West (58no) and Jerry Crouch (57) then produced a fine stand of 93 as Ashes recovered to post a respectable 176 for 6 in their 40 overs.
In reply Plympton were very watchful and runs were hard to come by as Gordon Colwill and Robin Lambert both bowled excellent opening spells for no reward. Freddie Harvey (2 for 17) produced the breakthrough and then West (3 for 26) and Crouch (4 for 34) followed up their heroics with the bat by running through the Plympton order. Alex McGough (40) threatened a fightback but when Nial Kemp (1 for 13) bowled him with the first ball of his spell, Plympton subsided to 144 all out with 22 balls remaining.
Ashburton picked up 19 valuable points in their fight against relegation. A superb performance and result made even more special with Marcus West taking his 500th league wicket for the club.