Normandy continue strong championship start.
By Richard Spiller
THEY WERE THE SURPRISE WINNERS LAST YEAR – EVEN TO THEMSELVES – BUT NORMANDY ARE ALREADY SHOWING THAT THEY WILL NOT GIVE UP THEIR TRAVELBAG SURREY CHAMPIONSHIP PREMIER DIVISION CROWN EASILY.
After the second round of matches were completely washed out last week, the weather was happily back on track for Saturday’s third round of games, which enabled Ian Prowse’s men to add Banstead to their list of victims after crushing East Molesey two weeks earlier.
BANSTEAD LOST TO NORMANDY BY SEVEN RUNS
They had to work a lot harder this time though, seeing off the hosts by just seven runs, with Chris Jones taking the lead role.
The former Surrey Academy all-rounder made 64 to dominate a third wicket partnership worth 98 with Prowse – who hit 38, having elected to bat first – on the way to 196-8 from their 50 overs. The visitors were slowed considerably by Arsalan Abbas claiming 4-35 in his 10 overs.
Ex-county opener Tom Lancefield (25) and captain Dan Newton’s 53 launched the response while Neil Baker’s quickfire 32 in 25 balls added momentum. But off-spinner Jones’s miserly 1-11 in his 20 overs and slow left-armer Viggy Venkateswaran (4-32) ensured that Banstead’s hopes of a second win to match their one-run success at Sutton were dashed, finishing just short at 189-9.
It means Normandy are one of three sides to win twice so far, the others being Reigate Priory and Weybridge.
ASHTEAD LOST TO REIGATE PRIORY BY SEVEN RUNS
It’s proving a successful second spell as Priory skipper for Chris Murtagh (pictured playing for Surrey in 2008) so far as his men also won by seven runs. Their success came at Ashtead, where the former Oval staffman made an unbeaten 71 out of 226-8, the best backing coming from all-rounder Angus Dahl (32), a regular for the Surrey second team this year, with a brace of 29s from Richard Oliver and Richard Stevens.
Although Guy Harper (22) and David White (36) successfully launched the reply in an opening stand of 52, they were in serious trouble at 112-7 after left-arm spinner Luke Beaven’s 3-34. Tom Homes (60no) kept Ashtead in with a sniff and last man Tom Deighton made 23no in a 10th wicket stand of 32 but it could only get them as far as 219-9.
CRANLEIGH LOST TO SUTTON BY THREE WICKETS
On a day when all five Premier games were won by the visitors, a home success looked more likely when Cranleigh openers Lewis Bedford – who ended a run of two ducks by cracking 71 – and Jack Scriven (61) put on 99. Seamer Brent Kay (4-50) ensured they were bowled out for 242 from the final delivery of the innings while Matt Laidman’s 97 supervised a successful chase with three wickets and 12 balls to spare.
SUNBURY LOST TO SUTTON BY 39 RUNS
Harry Allen’s fine form for Cardiff MCCU proved beneficial for Sutton too, leading them to a 39-run success at Sunbury.
The Surrey Academy graduate’s 110 from 128 balls included nine fours and two sixes, the best support coming from veteran Gary Outram – who made 34 before becoming Amar Virdi’s only victim of the day – on the way to 281-9. Missing captain John Maunders, a pivotal figure in Sunbury’s success over the past few years, the hosts fell well short at 242-9, off-spinner Allen completing fine day with 3-45.
EAST MOLESEY LOST TO WIMBLEDON BY 33 RUNS
East Molesey are having a thin time of it so far, having taken just eight points from three games so far. They might have expected better things when they bowled out Wimbledon for 151. It turned out that an unbeaten 39 from Jonathan Dewes, batting down at number nine, was to be crucial when the hosts were rolled for 118, Dewes adding two wickets – including Ben McDermott for 33 – while Kieran Bunting finished with 4-37.
CHIPSTEAD, COULSON AND WALCOUNTIANS BEAT GUILDFORD BY THREE WICKETS (FIRST DIVISION)
Although they finished well adrift of promoted sides Sutton and Banstead last year, Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians had a fine season to finish third and are the only team to win two out of three in Division One so far.
They looked set to claim their first-ever league clash against Guildford when, chasing 244, they reached 219-1. Nick Woods (108) added 76 with Rob Woolley for the first wicket and then 143 for the second with Chris Thompson (69). Both fell with victory looking certain and a slide of five wickets for 15 – Ben Ungaretti taking 4-40 – threw the result in doubt until the hosts crawled home from the penultimate ball with three wickets to spare. Guildford had owed their total to an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 127 between captain Tom Collins (86no) and Joe Pipkin (65no).
This Saturday sees another round of 50-over games before timed matches take over for the next nine weeks.