It was week 13 of the M Zaidi Surrey Cricket Championship Premier Division and the last of nine rounds of time matches before returning to the 50-over format for the final five weeks. Richard Spiller sums up the action
Banstead v East Molesey
A 217-run trouncing of Banstead restored East Molesey’s hold on the Premier Division summit.
Their first defeat of the season, inflicted a week earlier by Esher and coming seven days after a close escape at Ashtead, had suggested the Moles might be suffering a serious wobble.
But their demolition of Banstead, plus Esher’s defeat at Sutton, opened up the gap at the top again to 35 points.
Choosing to bat first, the visitors cruised to 300-3dec from 56 overs, in-form opener Michael Shean’s 92 built upon by Jack Scriven (102no) and skipper Tom Cullen (58no) as they as they put on an unbroken 136 for the fourth wicket before the declaration.
Surrey seamer Seb Stuart-Reckling suffered a sobering return from injury, his 10 wicketless overs costing 71.
Banstead had plenty of time to score the runs but were in immediate trouble at 10-3, Andy Westphal striking twice on his way to 3-33. Although Australian Patrick Rowe’s 30 fashioned resistance for a while, Arush Wavhal (20no) was the only other batsman to reach double-figures, Toby Porter returning to clean up with 5-40 as the hosts were bowled out for 83 in 29 overs.
Having finished third last year and in lying mid-table halfway through last month, Banstead’s third defeat in a row has sent them spiralling down to ninth now. Having lost all four of the opening 50-overs matches, they need a major reversal of form to avoid relegation.
Esher v Sutton
Defeat by two wickets damaged Esher’s bid to catch up with the leaders – but Sutton are emerging as the most serious challengers.
They inched to a fifth win in six weeks and host East Molesey on Saturday at Cheam Road.
Esher’s win at East Molesey had cut the gap at the top to just 18.
And after being sent in on Saturday they made a confident start, openers Travis Norris (74) and Ollie Hunt (28) putting on 90 before Surrey’s Nikhil Gorantla (31) and Alex Chambers (34) maintained the momentum.
After that, though, only wicketkeeper Andrew Whaits (52) made a serious impact, spinners Harry Gardner – whose 5-55 took him to 29 wickets for the campaign – and Fabian Cowdrey (3-60) bowling out Esher for 259 in the 58th over.
Ansh Bansal’s 85 from 69 balls, which included 16 fours, led the reply although the next best contribution was Rehan Ratnasabapathy’s 38. An experienced lower-order paid dividends for Sutton, Dan Edwards (11) and former skipper Sam Seadon (12no) ensuring victory was achieved despite the best efforts of leg-spinner Freddie Harrison (3-75).
Esher’s seven points mean they remain second but with Sutton just five points behind them.
Guildford v Reigate Priory
The battle of the bottom two proved very one-sided as Reigate Priory inflicted a 141-run beating on Guildford, lifting themselves to sixth.
In the process they condemned the hosts to a 10th defeat of the season and left them 45 points adrift of the rest. Even the return of the 50-over format for the final five rounds is unlikely to save them.
Choosing to bat first – on the pitch used for Surrey’s two Metro Bank Cup matches the previous weekend – Priory were grateful to skipper George Ealham’s 72 for hoisting them to 284-8 although batting the full 66 overs seemed unnecessarily cautious against a side in such dire straits. Advaith Bali (41) and wicketkeeper Joe Kelly (40) were the next best contributors.
Guildford skipper Olly Birts soldiered through 28 overs to finish with 4-84, his side giving away five penalty runs when a careless throw at the stumps hit Bali, a level two offence.
What looked an unlikely chase over 54 overs hit the rocks after the departures of Finn Gordon (16) and Blake Macdonald (49), the home side melting away to 143 all out as Ealham’s 4-8 from six overs joined with leg-spinner Michael Munday (5-40).
Given Reigate won three out of four of the early 50-overs matches, they should be confident now of staying away from the relegation fight and securing a place in the top half of the table.
Ashtead v Normandy
Nisal Francisco’s unbeaten 85 stood between Ashtead and a victory which would have lifted them out of the battle at the bottom.
Normandy had gone into the match on the back of four victories, driving them from trouble into the upper half of the table and hoping to add a fifth.
They sent in the hosts, who had Dylan Church (73), Mark Stoneman (40) and Lucas Kher (48) principally to thank for reaching 259 all out from the final ball of the 66th over. Left-arm spinner Viggy Venkateswaran’s appetite for hard work was highlighted by bowling 27 overs for his 6-103.
Normandy’s chase, helped by having 57 overs back because of their speedy over-rate, was built around Francisco but he had little substantial assistance, the best being Akshat Rai (32) and Ollie Gibson. Defeat threatened at 190-8 in the 48th over but Francisco was joined by Venkateswaran (12), who only departed when he was run out from the final ball of the match to leave the visitors 221-9, just missing out on the winning draw.
Ashtead’s 14 points at least kept them seven above the drop zone while Normandy are fifth.
Wimbledon v Spencer
Ollie Pike’s 6-30 destroyed Spencer to confirm that Wimbledon have woken from their mid-season siesta.
While retaining the title is almost certainly beyond them, the champions followed a clear-cut victory over Reigate Priory a week earlier by ensuring their Wandsworth-based rivals continue to be involved in the fight to stay up.
Pike’s performance over11.2 overs, which included four maidens, meant Spencer were in trouble from the start, stumbling to 38-5 with only Henry Stothard’s 44 delaying the hosts for long before they were all out for 98 in the 32nd over.
In no hurry to detain their guests, Wimbledon knocked off the runs in 21.1 overs, overcoming the early departure of Alex Barrett (2) as Kiwi Jack Boyle rediscovered form in making 56no while Tim Lloyd was making a solid 40no.
That win cemented Wimbledon’s place in the top four while Spencer hover just three points above the drop zone, although they will have the opportunity to do something about it when they entertain basement boys Guildford on Saturday.
Best of the rest
Division One leaders Sunbury were forced to hang on grimly to avoid a second defeat in eight days.
Having lost to Old Rutlishians by four wickets, they saw Walton run up 292-7 in 66 overs after being sent in, openers Josh Pistorius (74) and Jack Hunter-Lees (62) having launched the innings with 137.
Sunbury were 33-3 early in their reply, needing Ollie Pascal (70) and Colby Dyer (47) to turn things round in a fifth wicket partnership of 89. But at 264-9 with 2.5 overs left, Walton were favourites for a victory which would have kept them away from the relegation fight. As it was, Tom Burgess (33no) and Vishal Manro (10no) batted out the match at 278-9 to earn Sunbury 13 points for a winning draw, Walton taking 10 to stay 28 points away from trouble. Jake Bainbridge took 4-66.
The lead at the top is still 32, Malden Wanderers now the main challengers after trouncing troubled Beddington by eight wickets.
Finish of the day was undoubtedly at Weybridge, who bowled out Old Hamptonians for 183 but sank to 135-9 in response. Brent Kay (49no) and last man Luke Bichard (22no) weren’t put off easily, though, grabbing an unlikely victory by one wicket.
You could forgive Horsley & Send for being happy to see July disappear. They were going along nicely before defeats to Leatherhead, Addiscombe and Chipstead CW. Much more serious was the deduction of 100 points for registration issues concerning Australian import Jordan Roads, leaving them down a deep hole without a ladder.
Credit then to H&S for greeting August with a seven-wicket victory at Cranleigh, where a target of 276 was achieved with seven balls in hand by skipper Nathan Tilley (108no) and Yusuf Afzal (71no), who came together at 122-3.
That still leaves Horsley & Send bottom by 60 points and – with three teams being relegated – 75 away from safety but where there’s life there’s hope.
Tables – Premier Division
1) East Molesey 239
2) Esher 204
3) Sutton 199
4) Wimbledon 184
5) Normandy 153
6) Reigate Priory 134
7) Ashtead 131
8) Spencer 127
9) Banstead 124
10) Guildford 79
Division 1
1)Sunbury 221
2) Malden Wdrs 189
3) Dulwich 183
4) Weybridge 180
5) Rutlishians 178
6) Valley End 172
7) Camberley 153
8) Walton 137
9) Hamptonians 109
10) Beddington 86
Coming up on Sunday
It’s going to be a busy weekend for Sutton. Not only do they have leaders East Molesey arriving on Saturday but Sunday brings their ECB National Club Championship quarter-final. It’s off to Cambridgeshire for a clash with Sawston & Babraham, the winners earning the right to entertain Shepherds Bush in the last four.
