Sports Events

The first ever Ashdown House Sixes was a huge success with a very exciting final being decided off the last ball of the day. Six teams took part: Ashdown House A and B, Great Walstead A and B, Cottesmore and Imberhorne. We were blessed with a sunny day and the grounds were looking at their very best. After coffee, play got underway at 11:00 with each innings lasting for five overs. Three rounds of matches were played back to back, before everyone adjourned to the Dining Hall for lunch, where the fish'n'chips, salads and rose wine went down very well. Play resumed at 2:15 with the final two games in the round-robin. The Catering Department came to the fore again with a superb tea and then the two semi-finals took place. Great Walstead A beat Imberhorne off the last ball, while Ashdown House A won well against Cottesmore. And so to the final... Ashdown House A made a useful 48-4, but it looked 10-15 runs too short. However when Walstead were restricted to 32-1 off their first four overs Ashdown fancied their chances with 17 required off the last over. Two singles off two balls, 15 needed off 4 balls, with the two outstanding cricketers of the day in the hot seat: Tom Gordon-Martin, the Ashdown captain, bowling to Tom Howard of Great Walstead. Tom G-M bowled a very good over, but Tom H played powerfully with a four and a six and then won it for Walstead off the last ball. All six teams and their coaches should be congratulated for the excellent standard of cricket and the tremendous spirit in which the matches were played. Spectators could not have hoped for anything better than one of the semi-finals and the final both being won off the last ball. Great Walstead A were the only team to win all their matches during the day and were certainly worthy champions. Many thanks to the Ashdown staff members, Mr J Taylor, Mr Baker and Mr de Moraville, who umpired all day, and also to the ground staff, who have produced some fine wickets all season. Here are the results: