A quieter week on the Colts front but the Under 9s had a good couple of wins against Valley End and Shepperton.

The rain has not helped but despite many matches being abandoned and cancelled in the Thames Valley Cricket League – three Ascot teams managed to complete matches.

The 1s travelled to Chiswick & Whitton 1s with stand-in skipper Will Ellison in charge. Ascot batted first with Wensley and Kendall getting out in the teens and the skipper out for 3 to make it 49 for 3. The innings was built around a stand of 57 for the fourth wicket by Nick Kempton (45) and Andy English (35). Wickets kept falling regularly after that but Nick Wiggett’s 22 meant that Ascot saw out the 52 overs on 166 all out. Ravi Bhatti was Chiswick’s best bowler and took 7 for 81 from 26 overs.

Opening bowlers Mike Brown and Will Ellison restricted Chiswick to 47 for 5, but the middle and lower order came back strongly. At 124 for 9, Ascot looked the favourites but a last wicket stand of 27 made for a nervous finish but was eventually broken by Andy Murray to see Ascot over the line and win by 15 runs. The win takes Ascot to the top of the table by 3 points.

The 2s were at home to local rivals Bracknell 1s. Bracknell batted first and it was the tale of two players – Bracknell’s innings of 146 all out built around a fine innings of 64 by Jatinder Kumar, while Ascot legend Saeed Ahmed took 7 for 66 to restrict the visitors total.

However, Bracknell looked the likely victors as Ascot slumped to 32 for 6, with Tyron Winter the pick of Bracknell’s bowlers taking 5 for 44. However, Robbie Handley (37) and Tony King (54) gave Ascot hope and when King was out the score was 140 for 9 with just Myles Trainor and Saeed Ahmed left.

However, Myles Trainor displayed a cool head on young shoulders as he pulled the first ball off his legs for 4 and then drove over the top to add 2 more off Martindale to tie the scores. A push into the covers off the fifth ball saw them scamper through for a single to win the match in the tightest of circumstances. The win sees the 2s joint top with Bagshot 2s and Reading 3s.

The 3s were at home to Hurst 2 and decided to bat first on winning the toss. It looked a good decision as Jon Prowse (53), Jack Lunghusen (39) and Gary Clarke (65) saw Ascot reach 180 for 4 off 40 overs before rain stopped play.

After a long break and the calculations done the match was reduced to 76 overs, so Hurst 2 went into bat.

A great all round bowling and fielding effort saw Hurst reduced to 71 all out in 30 overs with Mike Wyatt (4 for 21), Rob Major (4 for 5) and Tim Howson (2 for 37) doing the damage. The win sees the 3s in joint 3rd position with Cove 3s and Purley-on-Thames 2s.

The 4s travelled to Sonning 3s but the rain won on this occasion as Sonning reached 145 for 5 off 31 overs before the match was abandoned. The 4s stay in 5th position as a result.

Week 4 will see the following fixtures:

1s v Hurst (Home)

2s v Falkland 3 (Away)

3s v Theale & Tilehurst 2 (Away)

4s v Reading 4 (Home)