Amid a scorching summer came a soaking Saturday to halt progress in the Surrey Cricket Championship Premier Division. Richard Spiller wrings out the details
Heavy rain throughout the morning wrecked round 11 of Surrey Cricket Championship Premier Division programme, with not a ball bowled.
It was the second wipeout of the season, although at least on June 7 all the matches started and most were into their second innings.
Esher v Banstead was the first to be abandoned, followed by Reigate Priory v Dulwich, Spencer v Sutton, Wimbledon v Sunbury and finally East Molesey v Banstead.
The picture was just as bleak in Division One, where all five games – Camberley v Valley End, Cranleigh v Guildford, Malden Wanderers v Walton, Normandy v Beddington and Weybridge v Oxted & Limpsfield – bit the sawdust.
Each side gained 12 points.
The climate in Division Two was clearly more forgiving, two matches being completed. Horsley & Send gave their promotion hopes a boost with an eight-wicket success over Maori Oxshott at Twinn’s Field, former Woodbridge Road groundsman Joel Cheng’s work ensuring a 35-over match went ahead. Maori Oxshott were dismissed for 146 in the 34th over, H&S knocking them off in the 26th to win by eight wickets.
That took them to within 11 points of the promotion zone.
With three teams dropping, Stoke d’Abernon’s 41-run success against the only side below, Old Wimbledonians, helped shore them up. Jared Southgate (66) and Max Subba Row (49) led the hosts to 222-8 from 25, Tim Sealy-Fisher’s 56 unable to push OWs any further than 181-9. Ian Hopton took 3-39.
League placings at week 11/18
Premier Division :
1) Sutton 176
2) East Molesey 165
3) Wimbledon 158
4) Reigate Priory 144
5) Spencer 142
6) Ashtead 135
7) Banstead 125
8) Esher 113
9) Sunbury 111
10) Dulwich 78
Division 1
Promotion zone:
1) Guildford
2) Weybridge
Relegation zone
9) Cranleigh
10) Oxted & Limpsfield
Division 2
Promotion zone:
1) Rutlishians
2) SinjunGrammarians
Relegation zone:
8) Maori Oxshott
9) Stoke d’Abernon
10) Wimbledonians.
Sunday extra
The rain carried on into Sunday, which hit the finals of the Edwards Cup at Normandy.
It meant there was only time for the two semi-finals of the T20 competition to be played. East Molesey did their best to make up for lost time by brushing aside Valley End by 10 wickets, Daniel Vernon’s 22 the best of the Division One side’s 77-8 in 16 overs. There were two wickets apiece for Andy Westphal, Toby Porter and Michael Shean.
Moles took 10.3 overs to knock off the runs courtesy of Sam Burge (43no) and Shean (28no).
Wimbledon had to work a bit harder before overcoming Reigate by eight wickets, Priory’s 125-5 from 16 based on Richie Oliver’s 49. Tim Lloyd (35), Jack Boyle (54no) and Hamish Merriman (23no) knocked off the runs with 2.1 overs to spare and, to save both sides another trek down the A3, Wimbledon will host the final at 4pm on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in the Conference Cup, Sunbury won the quarter-final clash with Banstead by four wickets.
Ayush Patel (65) and ever-consistent Australian Patrick Rowe’s unbeaten 90 saw their contributions augmented by Ben Butterfield’s 51no from 42 balls, the latter pair adding 124 as the visitors finished at 232-4 from their 33 overs after a late start.
But Sunbury had a second wicket alliance of 123 between Hugh Weibgen (44) and Stuart Van Der Merwe (67) to thank for leading their reply, Colby Dyer’s devastating 63 from 35 balls including eight fours and three sixes as Sunbury won by four wickets in just 25.2 overs.
Holders East Molesey take on Bromley on August 10.
