Rain FrustratesEverone....................

With Ashfield taking on the Green at home and missing several of their key players such as Bromhall who was taking the weekend off to go Train spotting down in Hampshire with his pal Carts!!!!

On a very green pitch with rain around Ashfield won the toss and bowled. Jimmy "Rapid" Reyburn and Zubair Khan bowled very well and the Green were in trouble at 96-6 some good batting by Chris osboune who hit 50 took them up to a total of 178 a fair bit more than expected and we have to be disapointed at not getting rid of them more cheaply.

Ashfield started their reply and with the Skipper standing in for Ollie T whilst he is back on rugby duty for Moseley unable to hit the ball off the square for 9 overs it looked like it might be a bit of a struggle, as soon as he got out the runs began to flow with PJ getting 30 Chisa hitting 47 and Zu Zu batting well to get to 40 not out. Ashfield resumed after a break for rain needing 90 runs off 17 over's and all looked well, but with 20 odd runs required and 18 balls with 5 wickets in hand to get the runs Ashfield looked well on course to win, but after a long discussion the umpires, decided that it was too dark to continue and Ashfield ended up with a winning draw in a season full of winning draws it was more frustration with 5 games left now there is still a fair bit of time. A good bank holiday weekend is paramount to sustaining any sort of challenge on the top position. Five games is a very long time and to see how the table changed over the first 5 weeks of the season should be encouraging to any of the top 6 sides all I am sure are looking at the top spot currently occupied by Olton & WW who despite a very healthy lead will have to keep performing all the way to the end of the season.

6 Weeks to go ............................................

Whilst it feels as if the season has not been going that long we are into the final third and they days are starting to feel more and more Autumnal. Last Saturday we went over to Bronze an interesting trip that didn't really have the feel of a league game to it and this was supported by some of the shot selection that was on display !!! We batted first and made 242 with Zu Zu hitting 54 and Kazim Zaidi falling just 3 short of what would have been a very deserved maiden Half Century, with other contribution of 20's and 30's it was a competitive total but a lot short of what we would have wanted having been 94-1 off 14 overs, with 4 first choice batsmen missing though it was still pleasing enough and every one in the side was very pleased for Kazim to bat they way he did.

Ashfield bowled and whilst Zubair bowled very well for the second week running we were more than guilty of expecting it just happen and one of the bowlers to do it for us. We grafted through a few wickets and were in danger of making a big mess of the game. Amir taking 3 wickets and philo switching ends and taking a couple of poles, zubair battling the hill and wind to bowl very well with attacking fields being set to chase the win Bronze got a lot closer to the score than they could have. Fair play to bronze for continuing to chase the Total the game finished with Ashfield on the better side of a draw unable to claim the last few poles, despite some very near misses, to win outright.

For the second time in a few weeks Phil "the hit-man" Tompkins was in his element getting stuck into the batsman for taking his time between deliveries, confusing the poor Bronze batsmen with his extensive vocabulary using words such as prerogative ! It culminated in the batsman pulling away and shrieking "if yooouuurrr goooonnnaaa keep talking I ll tek me fooking time" which was so funny as the batsman then waved his arms to the umpire in some sort of protest at being told to hurry up by one of the fielders. Tommos getting into the habit of dishing it out he might be on the verge of a call up to the Ashmead school of sledging although "one out one in away you go" will never be an utterance heard coming from Tompkins because he wouldn't get a bowl in a Chinese restaurant!

Zubair was rightly given Man of match for his effort but Kaz Zaidi not far behind, next week we entertain Marston Green at home everyone welcome to come along and support the ones at home with what will hopefully be a succesfull afternoon.

A Few Weeks away.......Wins, Draws and a Loss!

Once again muchos apologies for the delay in posting. In all fairness Philo was meant to do this but since hes fallen in love everything has gone to pot!!

Few weeks back now we played Pickwick with Mo Azam and Olly Thomas scoring runs in an eventful afternoon that saw One of Picwick's batsmen kick off with Tommo for encouraging his own bowlers in the closing stages of the game!! The chat from tommo at short leg of "I don't know if you've played much cricket before in your life but this is what happens in this situation" was very amusing for all who heard as Pickwick were trying to hold out for a draw with 2 wicket's remaining. Lord Zu Zu stepped up and took 2 wickets in 3 balls to end the contest and give ashfield a full points win.

The skipper then took himself off to Aus for Glen Ashmeads wedding which was a great time given 2 round the world flights and food poisoning in the space of ten days! In all seriousness congratulations to Ash and Katie they had a great time and am sure all at Ashfield wish them all the best in their future life together. It didn't stop Ashman from getting hammered through the week and thrown out of every bar in Port Douglas, on only his second night of being there, which shows he hasn't changed at all since being Ashfield's star overseas player in 2000. The boys took on North Warwks on the 15th July and came out with 24 points, The skipper should stay permanently away and they may well have a chance!. Philo took over the reins and turned in a true captains performance of 60 odd and 4 wickets, Mo "run machine" Azam scored another 80 and Amer Hussain with his superb bowling form took another 4 wickets, great win lads.

Saturday before last we travelled to Kenilworth and Crowd was spotted on Kenilworths high street but not at the game, It looks as if crowd may have abandoned us and who can blame him over the years he's had to put up with watching several clowns play for the club, thankfully the majority have left us now! and the news that Wynn Evans was not actually playing for the opposition was welcome relief to all. However not much play was possible due to a freak storm that ended the day with AshfIeld 39-0 after 9 overs. Another of the Ashfield ex players who have moved over to Kenilworth (but is far more likeable) was keen for us to stay over there and play out for bonus points maybe he wanted us to copy the Kenilworth 2nd teams captain example who in a rain affected game batted the whole way through without giving Ashfield a chance to bat!

Last week we entertained Bedworth and in a good evenly contested game had the better of a draw. Bedworth Looked a good side probably one of the strongest we have come up against this year. Olly "20/20" Thomas went at his usual rate of 3 a ball for 10 overs and then holed out, In all fairness and Obviously I am biased I don't think there is a more naturally talented batsman in the league, the joker needs to learn that you don't have to get out after getting to 35 every week, maybe if he spent more time in the nets or concentrating at the crease as he does in front of the mirror with his hair straighteners he'd have a chance. Lord Zu Zu and Mo Azam (again) hitting 70 each got ashfield a great score of 276. Bedworth in reply were always behind the rate and keeping a close field enabled them to get nearer than they probably would have, that's not to takeaway from some good hitting form Mark Spacey at the end of the game who enjoyed himself in the last 2 overs. Game finished with Ashfield getting a winning draw.

Saturday saw us go over to Olton confident of taking victory. A seaming pitch and extremely poor fielding and bowling display let us down and we missed out. Olton fielded exceptionally well and we could do well to follow their example in a year in which poor fielding has cost us 2 wins and a winning draw. Hugely frustrating for everyone but no-one else to blame except ourselves with 7 games to go a concerted effort needs to be made to stay in contention this year something which everybody has to be confident of doing.

On a Brighter note the end of season party this year has been handed over to two of the local party organisers Caroline and Anna who surnames shall not be revealed but are more than accustomed with the bright lights of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and many other cities worldwide, shall be organising this years party on the 16th September.