Ashtead won the toss and put the Llamas into bat and Ashtead’s opening bowlers Ben Sidwell and Kiwi Simon Keene restricted the Llamas 1st 3 overs for just 5 runs before Richie Oliver struck 3 fours off Keene (10-1-38-0) to get the innings going.

Meanwhile opening partner Luke Haughton was struggling to get off the mark and in the 7th over with the score on 17 (all to Richie) Luke was dismissed.

George Eahlam

Richie (46 from 50 balls), struggling with a hamstring injury that was later to keep him from fielding, then edged to keeper Jevan Kher from the bowling of Adam Thomas (6-1-41-1) as Priory lost their 2nd wicket to be 54-2 in the 15th over.

Next over Tommy Bates also edged to keeper Jevan Kher, this time from bowler Sam Hunt (4-2-11-1) and the Llamas were 58-3.

Captain George Ealham and Rory Haughton took the score through to 93 when the 4th wicket went down as Ben Sidwell trapped Rory (6) lbw.

George was joined by Fraser Sheat and the innings was beginning to gain some momentum when Ben Sidwell (17-5-34-3) bowled George (39) to have the Llamas 127-5 in the 35th over and for the Ashtead Stags to seemingly have control of the game.

Fraser Sheat

Tom Massey was the new bat and after a couple of fours and looking comfortable at the crease Tom (15) pulled a ball from spinner Max Woolf (8-0-37-1) to what looked to be a certain boundary before 17 year old Nathaniel Atkins raced some 25-30 yards around the boundary to take a diving catch.

Some say catches win matches and this was certainly a wonderful catch; but would it win the match? Llamas were now 161-6 in the 47th over.

Harry McKinley joined Fraser and played cautiously to start with as Fraser took the game to the Stags as the Llamas looked to post a defendable target on what the home spectators were saying was a difficult wicket.

Fraser passed his 50 when on 57 he edged to keeper Jevan Kher from the bowling of Tom Homes with his (medium paced !) off spin and the Llamas were 202-7 in the 57th over.

Any thoughts of a declaration were on hold with the score less than what would make a comfortable declaration. Harry McInley was now joined by Fraser McGuiness (13no). Fraser began to look more comfortable as his inning progressed and will surely gain confidence with more time and opportunities at the wicket.

Nonetheless it was Harry who took charge and scored 3 sixes and 3 fours and reached a fine 50 before Harry (54) was out caught in the deep by Adam Thomas to give Tom Homes his 2nd wicket but Harry had given the innings the required boost taking the Llamas to 262.

Harry McInley

Caleb Whitefoord came to the crease with just one ball left and despite belting it towards the boundary Caleb was caught in the deep for Adam Thomas’s 3rd catch and Tom Homes’s 3rd wicket (17-1-71-3) as the Llamas finished their 66 overs on 262-9.

After Ashtead’s usual hospitality the Llamas took to the field with Coach Gary Butcher replacing the injured Richie Oliver. Ashtead openers were young keeper Jevan Kher and 17 year old Nathaniel Atkins as Fraser Sheat opened with a maiden.

Fraser Sheat

It was Atkins who was the more aggressive of the pair taking 4 fours off Caleb Whitefoord (4-0-21-0). George Ealham and Tom Massey joined the attack and it was Tom (8-1-34-1) that dismissed Nathaniel Atkins (23) as the Stags 1st wicket came at 35-1 in the 15th over.

The Llamas stayed on top of the run rate and then in the 26th over George Ealham (10-2-27-1) got the 2nd wicket having Sam Homes (21) caught behind by Fraser McGuiness with the score at 82.

Michael Munday dismissed opener Jevan Kher (38) following a good catch by Tom Massey to see the Stags at 94-3 in the 31st over which brought Stags Captain Mark Stoneman (England, Durham, Surrey, Middlesex, Hampshire) to the crease.

His stay was to be short as he was out 3rd ball for a duck trying to get the better of Michael Munday, only to fall to a diving catch by Caleb Whitefoord and Ashtead were 96-4 in the 33rd over with the Llamas seemingly now in control.

Michael Munday

But things were not to stay that way for long as Kiwi Simon Keene joined Surrey youngster Adam Thomas. Llama supporters and players will not need reminding that Keene, with 87 from just 46 balls was largely instrumental in chasing down our 288-2 with 291-8 as last season’s chase for the title was taken out of our hands.

Super Simon was to be a menace once again as with the usual 6’s and 4’s he raced to 45 from 31 balls and threatened to once again chase down Reigate’s total.

However Tommy Bates had other ideas and got Keene to sky one only to be caught by Harry McInley charging in from the boundary and it was 152-5 in the 42nd over.

Tommy involved in the next wicket but this time as the catcher as Fraser then got rid of Connor Young (9) for 161-6 and then Tommy, this time with the ball again had Harry McInley to thank when yet another ball in the sky had Harry racing in from the boundary to take the catch and see the Stags at 163-7 in the 44th over.

Tommy Bates

The game was taking its usual ebb and flow as at one stage, with Simon Keene at the crease, the Llamas were facing a potential defeat and once he was dismissed the Ashtead target now became the winning draw (215 needed).

But that was now in doubt as Tommy Bates got his 3rd wicket (5-1-14-3) when Sam Hunt (8) charged down the wicket only to be stumped by Fraser McGuiness as Ashtead lost their 8th wicket in the 46th over with the score 176.

With just 8 overs left and 2 wickets in hand and 39 runs for the winning draw it was Tom Homes to the wicket. Now Tom has previous for holding up the Llamas and he looked like doing the same again, this time in partnership with young Max Woolf.

The Stags were no longer looking at the winning draw target and were now hoping to bat out for a draw. Running out of overs to claim the last 2 wickets, it was in the 52nd over with the score on 189 when Fraser took his 2nd wicket (14-4-41-2) and broke through Tom’s defences and clean bowled Tom Homes (7 from 23) as the Stags lost their 9th wicket.

There were 16 balls remaining for the Stags to hold out but the innings wasn’t to last for that long when; and not for the 1st time, with 9 balls remaining Michael Munday (11.4-1-46-3) provided the coup de grace having Max Woolf (12) out lbw to end the Stags resistance and see the Llamas to the win and 24 points to be tie 3rd.

Fraser Sheat won the battle of the Kiwi’s with his 57 runs and 2-41; but as usual this was once again a great team effort with contributions coming from many (and apologies for not mentioning everyone) including Richie’s 46 and Michael Munday’s 3-46 and Tommy Bates’ 3-14 and Macca’s batting (54) and catching as well as a fine fielding display led by example from Coach Gary Butcher.