Match Reports:

Ascension V Appleton Cup Final Rylands 9th September..

After Captain Kev had lost the toss on just about every other game this season using his special system, you wouldn’t have found a bookie taking bets on him losing one this either, quite rightly so as he lost again! Appleton didn’t make the same mistake as last time and went out to bat first..

Ste Critchley opened the bowling with an excellent over losing just one run, this was backed up by Ian Griffiths taking the first wicket, again for just one run! Critchley's second over was just as good as the first, just one run, giving Ascension the start that was needed. Ian Griffiths must have thought he was 10 years younger as he finished his second over taking another wicket giving him 2 for 5 and Appleton struggling to get 7 runs from 4 overs!

Neil Ford came up next bowling well in his first over and unlucky not to take another wicket as the batsmen struggled although the first 4 of day was scored taking 5 off the over, this was backed up by Matt Everson bowling well and conceding just 4 runs. After 6 overs Appleton were just 16 for 2 and Ascension looked good until Neil came back to bowl his last over which proved to be a personal record for all the wrong reasons. After getting smashed all over the park for 17 runs off 6 balls, Neil Ford put Appleton back in the game and some Ascension players were wondering how much he was paid to bowl short and wide and they started to build up some runs taking 11 from Matt Everson’s last over aswell. Captain Kev bowled well with 0 for 9 from his 2 overs but John Haill took 2 good wickets from his 2 overs, taking 2 for 9 with a good catch by captain Kev from a poor full toss. Wickets were falling fast as John Smith again found some old form and bowled 2 good overs taking another wicket for 9 runs. This was followed by some excellent bowling from the still pissed best man Danny Oliver! Danny took 2 wickets for just 4 runs and crippled the Appleton side with Alan Bostock again showing why he has great bowling figures losing just 5 runs. Ray Potts finished his last 2 overs of the season with 2 wickets for 3 runs ripping the middle stump clean out of the ground and leaving Appleton on just 88 runs!

With Appleton only scoring 88 runs confidence was high for Ascension and thoughts of an early start in the pub were on the cards although Danny needed to top his alcohol levels up during the start of Ascensions batting..

Ste Critchley and Mal Haill got off to a great start pushing some good quick runs and looked to be cruising until Ste was bowled for 17 although John Haill partnered well with brother Mal to keep the score going along. Mal retired on 26 after some excellent batting  giving Ascension just what they needed. Matt Everson came out next without a bat hoping to take the famous ‘Beast’ from Mal but had no chance as John had already formed a close bond with the bat since the start of the season, the rumours that John has a special name for the bat are unfounded but he has been known to stroke it when no one is looking!

After sorting the bats out John set about his first boundrys whilst Matt blocked his end up like a brick wall having decided he was not going to get out no matter what! After John was bowled on 16 and the runs drying up quicker than Danny's pint glass it was turning out to be a very close game. Runs were hard to find and overs vanishing when Neil Ford came out next needing only around 8 runs from the last 3 overs. With Captain Kev sweating and swearing on the bench, Neil hit a 4 to ease the pressure and silenced the heckling from the sidelines and after Matt and Neil both took singles to bring the scores level in the last over the pressure was very much on as the bowling was very tight. Although the scores were level, the scoreboard hadn’t been changed showing Ascension needing 2 runs to win and after the first 3 balls of the last over had gone without any score Neil Ford decided on emergency action and tried to hit the ball back over the bowler but was caught by the only deep fielder for 5 runs. That left Danny Oliver, still pissed up needing 1 run from 2 balls! The stage was set for Danny to win the game and he didnt dissapiont, he hit on his first to win the game much to the relief of captain Kev who had now lost most of his hair and the rest of the team giving the mighty Ascension their first league and cup double in the clubs long history and also making Ascension the first team in league history to win the cup 2 years running ending a fine season unbeaten!!