England 70+ retain Ashes

Leicestershire and Rutland’s George Fox played a key role as the England 70+ side won the Seevent Ashes in Australia by a 2-1 margin.

Australia had set up the final test by winning the second game in Sydney but England had the final say after an emphatic 115-run success in Canberra.

Opener Fox scored 87 as England put 271-8 on the board and Australia were bowled out for 156 as Ronald Walton finished with tremendous figures of 5-9.

Leicestershire and Rutland had three representatives on the trip as Jeff Baxter and Alan Cook have also been part of the tour. Baxter and Cook played in the penultimate match of the trip, a five-wicket success against an ACT 70+ 1^st XI.

Roger Maynard had a terrific game that started with him claiming 5-21 as Australia were restricted to 165-8. Cook finished with figures of 0-28 from his five overs while Baxter took a catch and completed a stumping.

England were struggling on 39-3 but Maynard followed up his five-for with a vital contribution of 43. When he fell with the score at 111-5, David Ingham’s quickfire unbeaten 38 took the game away from the opposition. Baxter was next in to bat but Ingham and Barry Peay shared an unbroken 55 for the sixth wicket to steer the side home.

Overall it was a highly successful tour for England 70+ side with just two defeats in their eight fixtures as they successfully defended the Ashes.