Angus Jemmett eyes up a delivery during his side’s loss to the North West Youth 1st XI on Saturday. Photo Robyn HoodIt’s been a tough old start to the season for the Ashburton College 1st XI cricket team.

They’re three games into this season’s Canterbury Youth 1st XI grade competition and yet to record a win, although their latest loss couldn’t have been much closer.

They took on the North West Youth Cricket 1st XI at the Ashburton Domain on Saturday and lost by just the one wicket.

Ashburton College won the toss and elected to send North West – a combination side made up of players predominantly from Burnside High School and Papanui High School in Christchurch – out into the field.

For the third week in a row, Ashburton College fell just short of the 100 run mark, all out for 95 in 39.5 overs, with Liam Sullivan the best of the batsmen at eight, finishing 28 not out, while Angus Jemmett scored 16 opening, and Isaac Bazley and Tom Middleton both chimed in with 13.

For North West, David Neal took 3/24 off 10 overs.

In reply, Ashburton College’s bowlers claimed regular wickets and had North West well and truly in trouble, nine down for 81.

Fourteen runs shy of the target and just one wicket in hand, a nail-biting finish ensued and eventually it went the way of the North West side, with Neal the one to guide them home, finishing 20 not out.

For Ashburton College, all bowlers took at least one wicket, with three bowlers taking two wickets each.

Will Copland took 2/10 off 6.4 overs, Sullivan took 2/23 off five overs, and Angus Jemmett took 2/8 from his 10 overs, which also featured six maidens.

Next week Ashburton College are on the road back up to Christchurch, to play St Andrew’s College’s 2nd XI.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 29 October 2019