It was the final week of this year’s Surrey Championship and the league as it is currently constituted, with major changes to the club game coming this winter. Richard Spiller reviews the action
Sutton v East Molesey
Teams who have met with the disappointment of relegation this year can take much strength from the tale of East Molesey.
One of the original members of the Surrey Championship when it was inaugurated for the 1968 season, after winning the title in 1980 they went into a serious decline, sliding down the steadily expanding league. Their return to the elite had plenty of bumps in the road too, only saving themselves from relegation late in the 2018 season.
But since recapturing the title 12 months later, the Moles have become a powerhouse again, Saturday’s victory over Sutton making them champions for the third time in five seasons.
While title rivals Reigate Priory – just two points behind – could not beat the weather and could only gain five points from an abandoned home match against Banstead, East Molesey benefited from Sutton’s excellent covers and hard work to get their match on for a 26 overs per side contest.
Safe from the drop, Sutton were inserted and lost their top three cheaply to left-arm spinner Matt Tigg, needing Dan Peall’s 44 from 29 balls to drag them up to 139-8. Tigg (3-20) and off-spinner Jamie Southgate (2-38) were aided by one each from Johnny Fawett and brothers Toby and Harry Porter.
Moles had taken two bowling bonus points but would need to win the match to secure the title, Sam Burge’s typically forthright 45 from 46 balls giving them early momentum before he fell to Fabian Cowdrey.
Bad light saw their target revised to 123 from 22, director of cricket Southgate (24) and Cole Campbell (21) making valuable contributions before Harry Porter (6no) and Tigg (6no) taking them to victory with nine balls to spare.
A campaign fought without spearhead Andy Westphal, recovering from a knee operation, surprised those within the club who felt it would be transitional season, which gives all the more credit to skipper Nick Stevens.
It has been a remarkable comeback by Moles, the successes and setbacks shared in a club who treasure their riverside ground, making improvements with every new season. The nets always seem full of youngsters and families abound. The work of the Lawfords and the Burges – among others – have created dividends which the Porters and their like look set to continue for some time yet.
Sunbury v Esher
They finally got going at 2pm at Sunbury although the hosts never quite made it out of first gear.
A match reduced to 35 overs saw the former champions rolled for just 101 in 24.2, Subhan Ramzan and Tom Burgess jointly top-scoring with 21 apiece.
There were three wickets apiece for Ben Townsend and David Brent.
Kevin Smith struck twice early in the reply but Don Bouchart cracked 43no to ensure Esher finished with an eight-wicket victory. Having threatened to vie with the top sides, inconsistency saw them settling for fifth place, Sunbury limping along for much of the summer to finish seventh.
Wimbledon v Guildford
Billy Sewell held together Wimbledon’s run chase as they confirmed third place by overcoming relegated Guildford.
Chasing 229, the hosts were in trouble at 33-3, Zac Donohue striking twice, but Guildford – as so often in a campaign which fell off a cliff after the halfway point – failed to make the most of the opening. First Jack Boyle (74) and Charlie Whipple (39) added 93, then Sewell joined his captain for another alliance worth 96. He went on to overcome a late wobble, his unbeaten 63 ensuring victory by four wickets with 5.3 overs in hand. David Scott took three wickets on his return to Church Road.
Earlier Guildford had made a rare excursion past 200 thanks to 72 from Adam Thomas, the 18-year-old one of the few plusses of their campaign, with 47 from Alex Sweet. Kit Winder and Ben Twine claimed shared six of the eight wickets to fall.
Weybridge v Ashtead was the second Premier match which fell to the weather.
Best of the rest
Glory and salvation were both up for grabs in what proved a dramatic final day in Division One.
Walton knew that only victory was likely to save them from joining Old Wimbledonians through the trapdoor and were fortunate to be playing the backmarkers.
South African Christiaan Oberholzer had already scored three centuries this season and turned on the fireworks for a fourth in crashing 206 – which included 21 fours and 10 sixes – to add 253 with Dan Roberts (107). Oberholzer missed equalling the Division One best by just two runs.
That ensured their side made 382-3, Wimbledonians ending what must have felt like an awfully long season by being dismissed for 131 as Roberts completed a fine all-round day with 5-37.
That put the pressure on the two sides above, Valley End next in the firing line. They had a tough trip to Spencer, who needed just four points to secure the title and gained them amid a 35-run win. Valley End gleaned five valuable bonus points and that was enough to see them land Old Hamptonians in the mire as they could only earn two points in losing to runners-up Dulwich by six wickets.
In Division Two it was drinks all round at Oxted & Limpsfield, who suffered a four-wicket defeat by Camberley – securing them the title – but promotion still being earned by the hosts after Old Rutlishians lost to Horsley & Send.
Late charges to nose over the line are well known at Kempton and they lived up to the reputation by lifting themselves off the foot of Division Four, an eight-wicket win over Sanderstead condemning Woking & Horsell and Hampton Hill to the drop.
Sunday extra
East Molesey could be in line for a double when they head to Bexley on Sunday for the Conference Cup final.
They will take on fellow Surrey Championship side Banstead after overcoming Hornchurch in a delayed semi-final on Sunday.
The match had already been postponed last month after a problem with the watering system and – inevitably – the weekend rain got involved again. That led to a bowl-off between the sides, each side getting six deliveries. Toby Porter underlined why he took 44 Premier Division wickets by hitting with his first four balls, Hornchurch missing and going home empty-handed for a second time.
Moles will also be one of the four clubs involved in the league’s T20 Plate finals at Horsley & Send on Saturday with their B side taking on Ashford B while Reigate Priory B play Cheam B on the other ground. The plate has been named after Raman Subba Row, the former England opening bat and leading administrator who played a leading role in the formation of the Surrey Championship.
Final league placings
Premier
Top two: 1 East Molesey (C) (264); 2 Reigate Priory (247)
Bottom two: 9 Guildford (R) (137); 10 Weybridge (R) (101).
Division 1
Top two: 1 Spencer (P) (282); 2 Dulwich (P) (266).
Bottom two: 9 Old Hamptonians (R) (169); 10 Old Wimbledonians (R) (55).
Division 2
Top two: 1 Camberley (P) (271); 2 Oxted & Lmpsfld (P) (242).
Bottom two: 8 Addiscombe (R) (66); 9 Farnham (R) (54).
Division 3
Top two: 1 Maori Oxshott (P) (258); 2 SinjunGrammarians (P) (235).
Bottom two: 9 Streatham & Marlborough (R) (145); 10 Old Whitgiftians (R) (91).
Division 4
Top two: 1 Chertsey (P) (242); 2 Trinity MidWhitgiftians (P) (227).
Bottom two: 9 Woking & Horsell (R) (146); 10 Hampton Hill (R) (139).
Division 5
Top two: 1 Horley (P) (304); 2 Alleyn (P) (269).
Bottom two: 9 Paulines (R) (146);10: Churt and Hindhead (R) (112).
