Red hot conditions tested the stamina and fitness of players in the Surrey Cricket Championship Premier Division on Saturday. Richard Spiller sweats out the details
Reigate Priory v Wimbledon
James Crosthwaite returned to Reigate Priory and knocked them off the top of the Premier Division.
The Australian wicketkeeper, now settled in this country, joined Wimbledon this year but underlined his affection for the Park Lane ground by cracking 115. He enjoyed a third wicket stand worth 163 with Jack Boyle (72) which rescued Wimbledon from 23-2 and set them on their way to 274 all out from the final ball of the 66th and final over.
Without that partnership, the visitors would have looked pretty sickly given the next best score was 26 from skipper Steve Reeves.
Former Somerset leg-spinner Michael Munday claimed 5-75 from 21 overs but a pitch offering generous turn ensured that was always going to be a test for Priory.
They looked up to it while openers Richie Oliver (64) and Luke Haughton were putting on 84. Once that pair were separated, it went downhill fast for the hosts, Kiwi Boyle’s 6-29 his best return for Wimbledon while Crosthwaite claimed four catches in a memorable day.
That put Wimbledon joint-top with East Molesey, Reigate now third but just five points behind.
Sunbury v East Molesey
Kevin Smith’s hard-hit 62 kept East Molesey waiting but they still crushed Sunbury by eight wickets to go back to the summit.
Having been sent in, the home side were in serious danger of losing by mid-afternoon when they sank to 96-7 in the 24th over, Rajan Soni’s 33 the main early resistance.
But former skipper Smith joined Matt Harpur for an eighth wicket partnership of 74, cracking six fours and four sixes in his stay of 48 balls. Harpur, who cleared the boundary three times, made 45 before being last man out at 212 in the 45th over, Michael Shean (3-47) the most successful bowler.
Although Shean (7) and Marcus Campopiano (17) went early in the reply, both to catches by wicketkeeper Oliver Pascall, Sunbury could make no further headway. Oli Soames (93no) and Clyde Fortuin (75no) knocked off the runs inside 50 overs, leaving Moles and Wimbledon heading the table but Sunbury down in eighth.
Sutton v Banstead
Josh Blake rescued Sutton from dire peril as they fought out a draw with Banstead.
Needing 214 from 54 overs, the hosts were given a good start by Cameron Tanner’s return to form – making 34 – in an opening stand of 61 with Ryan Hackney (34).
But Banstead chipped away, left-arm spinner Paul Byrne’s 5-59 a suitable reward for his marathon stint of 27 overs, broken only briefly to change ends. Sutton were grateful to Surrey wicketkeeper Blake, who displayed the discipline and concentration lacking from many of his team-mates, seeing them to a draw at 138-8 at the end. He was aided by George Compton playing out 40 deliveries without getting off the mark. Blake, having spent all but 19 overs of a baking day on the field, walked off unbeaten on 38 from 97 deliveries.
Banstead’s 11 points for the winning draw was the least they deserved, given they were missing three key players for what has become known as the Mad Mile Derby. Ragu Aravinthan (46) and Ayush Patel (30) had launched their innings with a partnership of 58, Patrick Rowe following his two centuries the previous weekend by making 58 before Neil Baker (26) and skipper Arsalan Abbas (16no) added useful late runs in reaching 213-9 from the maximum 66.
Spinners Aneesh Jhalla (3-44) and Harry Gardner (4-69) did much of the legwork, Sutton’s five points seeing them slip to fourth while Banstead are seventh.
Dulwich v Ashtead
KS Bharat returned to form but the Indian Test player could not save Dulwich from a second defeat in eight days.
Since his 134 against Esher on the opening day of the campaign, Bharat had not passed 50 but his 82 was the centrepiece of the home side reaching 169 all out after choosing to bat first. He joined captain Ollie Steele with the home side in trouble at 15-2, the pair putting on 50. But after that, tailender Joe Payne was the only other batsman to reach double-figures in making 13no. Seamers Simon Keene and Ben Sidwell led an efficient bowling display by taking three wickets apiece.
If Dulwich had any hopes that total might prove competitive, they evaporated swiftly as opener Jevan Kher made 87no from 106 balls, being joined in an unbroken third wicket stand worth 98 by Surrey’s Adam Thomas (62no), victory seeing Ashtead fifth but Dulwich ninth.
Spencer v Esher
Spencer’s first win since mid-May saw them deepen Esher’s woes at the foot of the table.
The Wandsworth side triumphed by 117 runs, taking them back up the table.
They were indebted to an alliance worth 78 for the second wicket between Ben Kempley (51) and Jack Scriven (73) for setting them on the way to 238 all out in the 60th over, Harry Stothard’s 43 adding useful extra ballast. Off-spinner Don Bouchart’s 22.2 overs in the heat were rewarded by a haul of 6-70.
Esher lost Australian overseas player Teague Wyllie for a duck, thanks to a brilliant reaction catch by Ruairidh Barker at short-leg off Troy Johnson. And although Will Tavare made 41, they never looked like getting close to saving or winning the game. Spinners Johnson (3-37), Max Hunt (3-37) and Gus Grant (4-33) cleaned them up for 121.
That put Spencer sixth while Esher are in trouble, bottom by nine points.
Best of the rest
Weybridge maintained their momentum as they seek an immediate return to the Premier Division, inching to victory by two wickets at Cranleigh.
They bowled out the hosts for 158 – Luke Griffiths and Shafqat Ullah collecting three wickets each – before slipping to 34-3 in reply. Ullah’s 28 was the best of the reply and Weybridge had to rely on the tail to see them to a victory which keeps them 19 points clear at the top.
Guildford – relegated alongside Weybridge and beaten by them seven days earlier – looked in danger of another reverse when they lost their first three wickets without a run scored against Valley End.
At 101-6 they were hardly flying but Alex Sweet (71) and Josh Bartlett (61no) pulled things round in a partnership of 129 which took their side to 256-8 from 66.
Ed Young’s 41 on his return to Woodbridge Road gave Valley End hope of winning but he was one of four victims for left-arm spinner Olly Birts. Star of the show, though, was Australian all-rounder Bartlett, whose 6-53 was chiefly behind the visitors being bowled out for 165 to lose by 91 runs.
Beddington lead the chasing pack, 11 runs adrift, beating Walton by three wickets.
Coming up on Sunday
If you can’t make it to the Kia Oval for the Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham on Sunday, there is plenty of alternative entertainment.
It’s the last 16 of the Conference Cup – teams playing for the Bertie Joel Trophy – with a number of Championship clubs involved.
Holders East Molesey host Waltham and the rest of the matches involving Surrey clubs are (all starting at 1pm, 45 overs): Acton v Walton; Harefield v Maori Oxshott; Bexley v Sunbury; Spencer v Banstead.
Live scores, fixtures, results and tables are available at surreycricketchampionshipplay-cricket.com.
