Ashby was born in Surrey and played for the county in 1873 and 1874. He moved to New Zealand, arriving in 1875, and took a job at a Christchurch flour mill operated by William Wood, where he worked for the next 50 years.[1] He became a regular member of the Canterbury team.
An all-rounder who batted at various positions in the order and opened the bowling, Ashby played a major part in Canterbury's spectacular victory over Auckland at the Auckland Domain ground in 1877-78. Canterbury batted first and made 93 (Ashby 12), Auckland replied with 135 (Ashby 4 for 42), and Canterbury made 163 in their second innings (Ashby 32, the second-highest score in the match). Auckland needed 122 to win, but Ashby took 5 for 2, he and Billy Frith (3 for 3) skittling Auckland for 13, a total that included eight byes.[2][3][4]
Ashby was a member of the Canterbury side that inflicted the only defeat on the touring Australian team in 1877-78.[1] A month later he took his best bowling figures, 6 for 27 (all bowled) in Canterbury's annual match against Otago, at the South Dunedin Recreation Ground.[5] He made his highest first-class score in 1879-80 at Dunedin's Caledonian Ground. Captaining the side, he won the toss and batted, and scored 59 out of Canterbury's total of 190. He hit one ball out of the ground; the stroke was later measured at 130 yards.[6] He and Billy Frith's brother Charlie then bowled Otago out for 105 and 99, and Canterbury won by nine wickets.[7]
Ashby took part in New Zealand's first overseas cricket tour, when Canterbury visited Victoria and Tasmania in 1878-79 and played several non-first-class matches.[8][9] After his playing career ended he became an umpire, standing in a first-class match in Christchurch in 1901.[10] He was one of the 14 players chosen in 1927 by the New Zealand cricket historian Tom Reese as the best New Zealand cricketers before the First World War.[11]
Ashby and his wife Mary Jane (née Haddrell), whom he married in Christchurch in April 1882,[12] had a son and three daughters.[13] They lived in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton. At his funeral all the pall-bearers were employees of Wood Brothers flour mill.[14]
