Ashbourne 2nd team got the club up and running for the 2019 season when they travelled down to Stradbally, Co Laois, not for Electric Picnic, but rather, to play Laois 3rds at their lovely new ground in the centre of the town. Ashbourne travelled down with 10 players and ended up using a strikingly handsome travelling 'supporter' as a sub fielder. Ashbourne were sent in to bat first after losing the toss. After an early wicket fell, the first half of the innings turned out to be a chastising one for Ashbourne, when one of their openers was clubbing 6s and 4s for fun. This lad done most of the damage but was eventually removed by Ashbourne Debutant Manoj Malviya. Once the big lad fell, so did the momentum for Laois' innings where they lost regular wickets and were eventually all out for 215. Now, 215 would usually sound like a decent score, but considering where they were at drinks, the short boundaries and quick outfield at Stradbally, a score of 280+ was most definitely on the cards. Another debutant, Anup ***olu, took 4 wickets to clean up the lower order with other wickets came from Anoop Bollelda (2) and 1 each for for Martin Burmeister, Jeff Conway, Denis Walker and of course Manoj Malviya. A target of 215 was definitely within Ashbourne's capabilities...but previous 'straightforward' run chases would suggest otherwise. 3 Balls into the innings Ashbourne lost opener Jeff Conway for a ducky, and a few overs later Manoj Malviya also went after scoring a couple of boundaries. Anoop Bollelda came in and soon took a bouncer to the face, which smashed his beloved spectacles and gave him a whopper swelling above the eye. A mere mortal would normally leave the field at this point, and cry into the leftover sandwiches from tea, but not Snoop. He's made of sterner stuff. He got up, put a lid on and kept going. Soldier. He didn't last long though and was bowled with a full toss from a 13 year old. At this stage, Keith 'WG Grace' Marchbank, who had come in at no.3, was racking up the singles and the odd boundary here and there. Himself and Anup ***olu (in at 5) put on a partnership of 51 taking Ashbourne to 91/3 at drinks. With wickets in hand and half of the overs remaining, Ashbourne were in great shape. Anup was dismissed 4 overs later for 35 odd runs. Enter Martin 'the Beermaster' Burmeister. His aggressive innings of 44 in 9 overs saw him club two m***ive 6s and six 4s, to drag Ashbourne into a commanding position where victory now looked likely. Marchbank was still at the crease holding up his end and knocking off the singles. Soon after Burmeister had gotten out, Marchbank brought up his maiden 50 for Ashbourne. A third debutant, Vikas Khatari, came in and lasted only 3 balls. Soon after that, Marchbank got his own MARCHing orders (pun totally intended) when he was run out. The run rate had dropped since Burmeister gotten out and it looked as if the game was slipping away from Ashbourne. Andy Robertson was at the crease and was fishing and swiping at a few balls but for very little return. The run rate was increasing gradually with every over and before we knew it, there were 3 overs left and Ashbourne needed 29 off 18 balls. Not impossible by any means, but as this handsome reporter said earlier on, Ashbourne 2nd team's run chases have been dodgy in the past. Well, would you believe it. In the very next over Andy Robertson blasted two 6s off a fellow Geordie bowler from Laois and all off a sudden it was game on. 15 came off that over. 14 needed off 12 balls. A boundary from Robertson and a few singles between him and Captain Denis 'say what you see' Walker (no one cared what Mr Chips was doing this point now) saw 9 runs from the over. Ashbourne needed 5 runs of 6 balls! Lord jaysus it was tense. The Laois fielders and supporters were nervous. Were the men from Meath (terms & conditions apply) about to come all the way down to Laois, to their brand spanking new ground and snatch victory from under their noses? The last over was ferocious. Laois started off with a wide. Shocking stuff at the death. Then a dot. 4 needed off 4. A supporter fainted on the boundary. No one cared. This was the epitome of excitement and there were more important matters to attend to now. Who was going have the stronger nerves here? The men from the Queens County, or the Men from the Royal County (again, T&Cs apply). A single from Walker. 3 off 3 needed. Another single from the big Geordie. 2 off 2 needed. Then disaster. Captain Walker was then Caught trying to go over the top. A wicket, but more importantly, a dot ball for Laois. Another wide. 1 off 2 needed. A dot ball! 1 needed off one ball! It was a tie game. Were we about to see one of those rarities in cricket? Players had to compose themselves. The fielders were having a chat. The batters were having a chat. The message from Captain Walker was "whatever happens, RUN!". Neil Macken was now in and was making himself as aerodynamic as possible for the sprint that was to follow as the backing up batsman. Robertson on Strike. Ball was bowled. Robertson swings. Robertson connects. But it comes off the toe of the bat and trickles to mid wicket, where there's a fielder fielding in close. He collects the ball. Robertson is running. Macken is in the next field at this stage and is safe. Robertson is in full flight (It was magnificent to see). He grounds the bat and slides it. Mid wicket had already released the ball at this stage. It bounced once and then hits the stumps... BUT ROBERTSON HAS MADE HIS GROUND!!! The umpire declares NOT OUT and the game is over. In true Geordie fashion, Robertson whips his top off and celebrates! What a win for Ashbourne. There won't be a cow milked in the town for days to come! Unbelievable scenes. And to think Ashbourne had only 10 players and a ruggedly handsome sub fielder to fill in ;) What an achievement! What a game played by both teams. There were so many twists and turns along the way. Both teams were ahead and behind at numerous stages of the game and it just goes to show what a great game cricket is. The game was played in excellent spirit. To be on the losing side of a 'final ball game' must be heartbreaking for Laois, but fair play to them, they took it on the chin and congratulated Ashbourne lads. A tie probably would have been a fair result...but the big Geordie had other ideas when he sprinted for dear life on that last ball! This game will be remembered for years

Ashbourne 2 win off the last ball of the game by just about scrambling the 1 run needed off 1 ball. Laois 3 almost got the run out to finish the game as a tie. Great cricket played by both teams in a good sporting manner.