At the two thirds point of the campaign, the contests for the AJ Sports Surrey Championship Premier Division crown and the right to stay in the elite are getting ever tighter, reports Richard Spiller:
Esher v Reigate Priory
Strength, belief and resilience are hallmarks of successful teams and Reigate Priory are displaying all three.
They lead the table by 10 points after following up a notable victory over East Molesey with a thrilling three-run victory over Esher.
Priory were in desperate straits at 8-3, having chosen to bat first at New Road, fighting their way to 187 all out led by George Ealham (31), Richie Oliver (33) and Fraser Sheat (36). There were vital late runs too from Tom Massey (25) and Tommy Bates (26no). Joe Lavender was the most successful bowler, collecting 3-53.
Northants all-rounder Justin Broad (24) spearheaded the reply, his departure for 25 at 75-4 a major blow for Esher. And when they saw acting captain David Brent bowled by Michael Munday for 57, it was 131-8 with Priory the warmest of favourites. Ben Townsend (3) followed at 150-9 but final pair Matthew Macpherson and Lavender (13no) inched towards victory.
The key proved to be Munday, his side looking in danger of defeat but finding a way through the defence of Macpherson (31) and earn the visitors what could well be a key victory.
Former Somerset leg-spinner Munday, never afraid to give the ball some air, finished with 4-45 from 12.2 overs.
East Molesey v Ashtead
This week’s blink and you miss it title goes to East Molesey, who took out their frustration on losing to Reigate Priory with an express thumping of Ashtead.
The visitors were beaten by nine wickets after being bowled out for 62.
They had overcome being 3-3 a week earlier against Guildford but the Moles showed no such generosity. Only Simon Keene – top scorer with 19 – and Sam Homes (11) reached double-figures against an attack in which Toby Porter (2-18), Hussain Tallat (3-28), Frank Knight (14) and Matt Tigg (1-2) rounded up a flimsy line-up in 25.2 overs.
Clearly keen to watch the Test, or the Olympics, or just watch the boats go sailing by, East Molesey knocked off the runs in 10 overs, Marcus Campopiano’s 29no the main reason.
Trailing Priory by a mere 10 points, East Molesey remain a decent bet for the title.
Guildford v Banstead
Adam Thomas’s classy 80 saved Guildford from defeat – but it couldn’t stop them from sliding into the drop zone.
Without a win since June 29 – and boasting just three overall – last year’s runners-up are now engaged in a fuily-fledged fight against relegation, yet still within a win of the top half of the table, such has been the tight nature of the campaign.
Banstead had become Weybridge’s first victims of the season a week earlier, the 11 points garnered at Woodbridge Road seeing them seventh.
Choosing to bat first on a slow turner, they fought hard to reach 212 all out, Harri Aravinthan’s early 40 supplemented by Australian Patrick Rowe (31) in adding 50 for the third wicket and Gareth Macaskill’s 50 an important contribution to an innings which finally ended in the 66th over.
Guildford’s suspect batting once again let them down, slumping to 12-3 against an attack led by left-arm spinner Paul Byrne, who would bowl for much of the innings. He was held at bay by Thomas – the 18-year-old having scored 62 for Surrey against Cambridgeshire at Fenner’s six days earlier – and David Scott (26) adding 56 for the sixth wicket.
But when Arsalan Abbas joined the attack, removing Scott and Alex Sweet in short order, Guildford had little option other than to try and avert defeat. Byrne (4-71 from 27) finally bowled Thomas but the hosts were seen to safety by Joe Morse (21no), falling four runs short of the winning draw target in finishing at 172-8.
That gained them six points and they will head to bottom side Weybridge on Saturday, knowing four of their last five opponents are in the top half of the table.
Sunbury v Wimbledon
Centuries for Jason Marshall and Jack Boyle could not earn Wimbledon any more than nine points in a high scoring draw at Sunbury.
Both hit 117, albeit at different tempos, as the visitors batted to the maximum 66 overs in amassing 328-5.
Marshall launched Wimbledon’s innings, after they had chosen to bat first, alongside Adam Fox (54) in a stand of 89, cracking 11 fours and two sixes in his 185-ball stay, Kiwi Boyle striking 11 and four respectively as he took just 100 deliveries. Kelly Smuts (2-31) and Colby Dyer (2-68), were the most successful bowlers, Surrey’s Amar Virdi finishing with 1-90 from 14 overs.
Sunbury had a crack at the target, despite receiving only 54 overs back, Smuts making 41 out of an opening partnership of 60 in 11.1 overs with Sam Burgess (59), who then shared a second wicket alliance of 104 with Nico Reifer (64) in 13 overs.
Ollie Pike (4-59) removed both in a transformational spell which left Sunbury having to fight for survival, achieving the winning draw at 282-8 to earn 12 points. That took them out of the relegation zone but certainly not danger. Wimbledon’s nine sees them now lagging 30 adrift of leaders Reigate.
Sutton v Weybridge
Ryan Hackney’s century was the perfect way to bid farewell to Sutton as they won by eight wickets and moved back into the top half of the table.
The Australian left-hander made an unbeaten 119 as the hosts overtook Weybridge’s 248-9.
A nervy win over Sunbury seven days earlier had ended Sutton’s long wait for a victory but they had to be patient while the visitors used their full 66 overs.
The hosts were grateful to left-arm wrist spinner Fabian Cowdrey for claiming 3-62 in 17 overs, one of his victims being Nick Compton (30) in a battle between two players whose famous grandfathers played together for England. With off-spinner Harry Gardiner out through a disclocated shoulder, Sutton called up second team skipper and former club captain Dan Edwards, who claimed his maiden victim – not bad for a wicketkeeper.
Weybridge’s total was owed to contributions from Haydir Ali (49), Stuart Van Der Merwe (53) and Craig Meschede (67).
But if the visitors hoped it would pave the way for a second victory – having finally opened their account a week earlier, against Banstead – they were soon to be disappointed as Hackney combined with skipper Sam Seadon (68) to put on 149 for the first wicket, the partnership finally being split in the 39th over.
That still left another 100 needed in 14 overs, Cowdrey’s 53 from 41 balls ending with scores level but Hackney – who hit nine fours and five sixes – staying to the end.
Defeat left Weybridge marooned by 54 points at the bottom and knowing they produce a remarkable late spurt to evade relegation – starting with ninth placed Guildford visiting on Saturday.
Premier Division positions (after 12 matches):
1 Reigate Priory 188
2 East Molesey 178
3 Wimbledon 158
4 Esher 143
5 Sutton 133
6 Ashtead 125
7 Banstead 122
8 Sunbury 113
9 Guildford 111
10 Weybridge 57
Best of the rest
A comprehensive victory by 10 wickets over basement side Old Wimbledonians has kept Spencer top of Division One.
They rolled the Merton side for 108 in 43.2 overs, Sushant Marathe (40) and wicketkeeper Ewan Parker (19no) making the bulk of the runs as off-spinner Gus Grant (7-52) took his tally to 32 victims for the season.
Hugo Darby (67no) and Will De Cani (41no) ensured Spencer were on the road back to Wandsworth after just 19.2 overs. That maintained a seven-point advantage over Dulwich, who made it three wins on the spin and struck a blow to Normandy’s hopes of an instant return to the Premier Division.
Bowling out the visitors for 145 – Ahmed Khan (5-17) and Will Jenkins (3-13) doing much of the damage – Dulwich went on to win by eight wickets. Khan’s 44no completed a fine all-round match, adding 113 for the third wickets with Apoorv Wankhade (61no).
Malden Wanderers lie third, having revived their chances through a three-wicket success at Walton, who are just two points above the relegation zone.
League placings at week 9, Premier – top: Reigate Priory; Bottom 2 – Guildford & Weybridge. Division 1 – top 2: Spencer & Dulwich; Bottom 2: Old Hamptonians & Old Wimbledonians. Division 2 – top 2: Camberley & Old Rutlishians; Bottom 2: Addiscombe & Farnham. Division 3 – top 2: SinjunGrammarians & Maori Oxshott; Bottom 2: Worcester Park & Old Whitgiftians. Division 4 – top 2: Sanderstead & TrinityMidWhitgiftians; Bottom 2: Kempton & Woking and Horsell; Division 5 – top 2: Horley & Alleyn; Bottom 2: Paulines & Churt and Hindhead.
