Richard Spiller reviews the latest round of the Travelbag Surrey Championship.
BY RICHARD SPILLER
PHOTO CREDIT MARTIN WILLIAMSON
It’s heading for a giant showdown in the Travelbag Surrey Championship Premier Division with the leading two teams – Reigate Priory and Weybridge – meeting on Saturday level on points. Priory’s tie with East Molesey had major implications for both the top and bottom of the table, as Richard Spiller reports.
EAST MOLESEY V REIGATE PRIORY
An astonishing match saw both sides bowled out for a paltry 76 to finish in a tie.
First season-long leaders Priory were shot out in a mere 27.3 overs, pacemen Andy Westphal (5-23) and Dominic Reed (3-30) chiefly responsible, Luke Beaven’s 15 down the order the highest score although 19 extras were to prove priceless.
Skipper Reed and Sam Burge made 22 each in the reply and at 58-2 seemed set for a fourth successive victory in what has been a remarkable climb away from seemingly certain relegation.
But with left-arm spinner Beaven (3-35) wheeling away at one end, leggie Michael Munday caused carnage at the other, the home side falling apart as they crumbled to 72-9.
Jake Kings (12) and last man Jonathan Fawcett drew level but Kings was trapped leg-before by former Somerset man Munday to give him 6-10 from a remarkable spell of 4.3 overs.
That left both sides with 10 points and kept East Molesey nine points ahead of the relegation zone.
WEYBRIDGE V BANSTEAD
They might have lost the services of Ben Curran – with the opener having signed for Northants – but that isn’t distracting Weybridge from their pursuit of the title.
A 156-run defeat was inflicted on Banstead, Andrew Curtis (70) and Kiwi Tom Bruce (53) launching a powerful surge to 276-9, which might have been more but for the combined efforts of Arsalan Abbas (3-63) and Arsalan Abbas (4-55).
Although former Surrey staff man Lancefield hit 43, Banstead folded meekly for 120, Phil Mann and Sammy Managei finishing with two wickets apiece.
ASHTEAD V NORMANDY
When you’re fighting for your life, coming up against a team unbeaten in seven games is hardly ideal – particularly when they are led by a South African who cannot stop scoring runs.
That was the fate for fading champions Normandy, who had broken a win drought of almost three months a week earlier but were plunged back into bottom spot by a 101-run reverse at Ashtead.
David White followed knocks of 152, 96 and 94no by hammering 133 from 127 balls – including 12 fours and five sixes – out of the home side’s 276-8, a total launched by an opening stand of 134 with Michael Sanderson (56).
Seamers Dan Miles (3-56) and Neal Prowse (2-65) contained the damage towards the end but Normandy were never in a position to chase it down. Australian Tim Ward’s 44 was the top score but they slithered from 97-3 to 105-8 and after that only Viggy Venkateswaran lasted for long before being the last man out at 175.
CRANLEIGH V SUNBURY
Resilient Cranleigh broke out of a run of six straight defeats to earn themselves a shot at survival.
Seemingly set for the drop, they took advantage of Sunbury’s woeful late summer form to beat them by four wickets.
Even the return from injury of skipper John Maunders could not stir the visitors, the former Middlesex, Essex and Leicestershire adding 76 with opening partner Sam Burgess (37) but seeing the rest of the side struggle to 179-8 in their 50 overs against a disciplined attack.
Captain Jack Scriven’s 43 launched the reply but it was Bruno Broughton, making an unbeaten 48, who steered Cranes to victory with 7.4 overs remaining and setting up a trip to Normandy on Saturday which will effectively doom the losers.
WIMBLEDON V SUTTON
Liam McKendry’s unbeaten century terminated a run of four defeats for Wimbledon as they beat Sutton with a ball to spare.
Harry Allen had rediscovered his own early-season form in cracking 121no out of 244-6 while the visitors reached 244-6, Surrey Academy member Freddie Boys (38) and David Murphy (41) his chief allies.
Opener Nick Welch seemed to be the only obstacle between another loss for Wimbledon in a slide to 56-4 and when he departed for 50 it was 98-5. But wicketkeeper McKendry found a staunch partner in Sanjaya Arachchige, who had finished with 3-47 earlier and made 39 in a sixth wicket stand worth 111. Paul HIndmarsh’s 18no also proved crucial, McKendry finishing on 101no from 122 balls.
BEST OF THE REST
Nothing is settled yet in the fight for promotion from Division One after the top three all won.
Nathan Tilley made it four centuries in six games to keep Guildford at the summit – his 595 runs have come at 85 – after Spencer were dismissed for 174, which owed much to Archie Macpherson’s fighting 77. Duncan Selmes and Joe Pipkin took three wickets each.
Opener Tilley, 18, cracked his 101no from 89 balls to finish the chase in 30 overs.
Leatherhead, who are 13 points behind, all but ended Camberley’s interest with a five-wicket victory led by Mike Nicol’s 65no. Esher are just two points behind but had a scare against bottom side Farnham, who went down fighting by 14 runs thanks to James Berry’s 72 as they chased 206.
That defeat condemned Farnham to relegation while joining them will be Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians on the back of a 72-run setback at home to Valley End.