ASHBURTON skipper Lloyd White is eager to have a crack at Tolchards DCL B Division cricket next season after winning promotion as C West champions.

It is nearly 30 years since Ashes operated in the B Division – and their 1998 promotion proved a brief one.

Based on Ashburton’s form in their promotion-winning season, White is already looking ahead with confidence.

“We are all really looking forward to the fresh challenge of the B Division and certainly won’t be there to make up the numbers,” said White. We want to compete and I believe we will more than hold our own.

“It has been an awesome, awesome year for the club, finally gaining promotion.

“We have been knocking on the door in previous years and have underperformed in others.

“This year we had great availability, strength in depth and players who bought into what we are trying to build at the club.

“I think we went on a run of taking 178 points from 180 available in the second half of the season, which is absolute testament to our ruthlessness and consistency.”

White said there were ‘match-winning performances’ from one to 11 in the team, but added that there were four players who stood out.

“Nick Martin (414 runs) joined us for his debut season, and you'd have thought he had played with us for years,” said White.

“Adi More (321 runs, 36 wkts) was a class act on and off the pitch as our overseas.

“Steve Edmonds (763 runs) was the leading run scorer in our division (and ninth in the whole of the league), quite incredible, given that his previous best was 330.

“And Jack Warren (20wkts at 18.50) taking the new ball regularly week on week was awesome to watch. He really came of age, having not taken on that role consistently before.”