It was a mixture of league action and cup knockouts for clubs in the AJ Sports Surrey Championship on week 11. Richard Spiller picks through the details
Weybridge v Banstead
Is this the start of a historic comeback or just a dead cat bounce?
Right now Weybridge won’t care, having claimed a first victory of the season as they beat Banstead by 10 runs – with just one ball to spare.
Having been sent in, the hosts got a solid start from Nick Compton (62) and Haydir Ali which was built upon by Surrey Academy youngster Stuart Van Der Merwe’s 83.
Weybridge, who entered the game having lost eight out of 10 matches, were put into an even stronger position by Nathan Tilley emphasising why he was right to give up the captaincy two weeks earlier, cracking an unbeaten 87 from 75 balls with five fours and six sixes.
Harshil Patel’s declaration at 281-3 came at 63 overs, then leading an attack unused to having runs behind them, and he soon removed Ben Butterfield (15).
Banstead’s upper order also relished the conditions, Arjun Gill (78) and Harri Aravinthan (56) adding 116 for the second wicket.
Once they were separated, it needed contributions from Gareth Macaskill (29), Arsalan Abbas (37) and Paul Byrne (24) to keep the visitors in the hunt. Left-arm spinner Eddie Campion (4-61) made regular breakthroughs, Ben Way claiming 2-25 but George Compton proved to be the key man. From the first ball of the 57th and final over he had Byrne caught by wicketkeeper Ollie Pascal and, after four dot balls, bowled last man Mohammad Shahid for a duck.
Defeat left Banstead sliding back into seventh position while Weybridge, although 48 points behind the rest, may at least just have a sniff of survival.
Reigate Priory v East Molesey
Thwarted by rain for the previous two weeks, Reigate Priory dethroned East Molesey and took their place at the summit.
They had to show resilience along the way, fighting back from being in trouble at 125-6 to claim a comfortable victory by 89 runs.
James Crosthwaite’s 60 made early headway after Priory had been inserted but it needed Angus Dahl’s 54 to hold the innings together as Toby Porter (4-47), Michael Sheen (3-18) and Matt Tigg (2-44) made regular breakthroughs, pushing the hosts to 187 all out.
Dahl’s patience over 121 minutes was repaid as East Molesey slumped to 49-7, only James Cake (21) of the top-order lasting long. Although skipper Nick Stevens fought back with 33 and last man Porter (12no) proved difficult to dislodge, the visitors were rounded up for 98. Kiwi Fraser Sheat (5-40) was the star turn, assisted by two wickets apiece from George McLoughlin and Richard Stevens.
That earned Reigate a 10-point lead as they seek a first Premier title since 2014.
Ashtead v Guildford
Recovering from the peril of being 3-3, Ashtead won by 49 runs to claim the double over Guildford.
All that had looked pretty unlikely in their early slump, which included former England opener Mark Stoneman being bowled by an unplayable delivery from Zac Donohue which pitched middle and hit the top of off stump. The hosts were 12-4 soon after and had Conor Young not been missed in the slips soon after, the match might have been over by lunch.
Guildford would pay heavily for that miss, groundsman Young conquering his own pitch – the roller had broken down two days earlier to make preparation more difficult – to make a vital 87. He was assisted by Simon Keene (39no) and Pranav Khera (32) in lifting Ashtead 194 all out in the 64th over. Donohue, Jono Merlo and Olly Birts all claimed three wickets.
That always looked likely to trouble the visitors, who lost their first two wickets before a run had been scored and were 9-3 when Australian Merlo was leg-before to an expertly-delivered yorker from Sussex-contracted seamer Sean Hunt. Oli Soames (42) and Tom Geffen (22) effected a partial rescue but the visitors were swept away for 145, Hunt’s 4-45 augmented by Keene (3-34) and Tom Homes (3-45).
Ashtead’s victory pushed them into the top half of the table but left Guildford eighth, just 24 points covering fifth to ninth. They will look back on July with the same satisfaction as Joe Biden, although club graduate Shoaib Bashir’s five-wicket haul for England at Trent Bridge and youngster Adam Thomas making 62 for Surrey at Fenner’s lightened the mood a little.
Sutton v Sunbury
George Jackson’s league best of 6-38 led Sutton to their first victory for nearly two months, lifting them out of the drop zone.
They won a low scoring match by four wickets, pushing Sunbury into ninth place, after dismissing the outgoing champions for 139.
Seamer Jackson – who arrived at Cheam Road via Sanderstead and Bromley – had claimed 4-11 in 7.4 overs when rain forced an early lunch with Sunbury reeling at 47-6, Fabian Cowdrey accounting for the other two.
Aditya Prakasan (34), Matt Harpur (21) and Conor Fulton (22) could only stretch the score to 139 when Jackson returned to finish them off in the 37th over.
Run have been in short supply for Sutton lately and, when Australian Ryan Hackney (14) was run out by Colby Dyer at 26-3, the absence of Surrey’s Josh Blake was being felt more keenly. Former Kent all-rounder Cowdrey (46) and Cameron Tanner, who made 42 after moving down from his usual position opening, added a vital 70, but Sunbury still had a glimmer of hope at 120-6. Joel Walker (7no) and Dan Peall (16no) finished the job, though, to earn their side 20 points and a move up to sixth spot.
Wimbledon v Esher
Billy Sewell took charge of Wimbledon’s resistance to see off Esher’s bid for victory.
Teague Wyllie’s aggressive 91 – featuring eight fours and two sixes – had spearheaded a drive to 274-5dec from just 51 overs by the visitors, sharing an opening stand of 55 with Northants all-rounder Justin Broad (55). A rapid 55no from David Brent, taking just 24 balls, hastened the declaration, left-arm spinner Stephen Reeves claiming 3-62 from 11 action-packed overs.
There were no easy pickings for Wimbledon in reply, seamer Joe Lavender removing the top three and leg-spinner Freddie Harrison (2-55) following up well, the hosts looking set for defeat when they stumbled to 110-7 in the 39th over.
Sewell (58no) found a similarly studios partner in Ben Twine (28no), the pair proving immovable for the final 20.1 overs of the match to pick up five points. That left Wimbledon third, 15 off the top, while Esher’s yield of 13 for the winning draw leaves them fourth.
Best of the rest
Gus Grant’s 6-96 bowled Spencer to a victory which keeps them seven points ahead in the battle for promotion to the Premier Division.
They beat lowly Old Hamptonians by 39 runs but their 24 points were hard-earned. Troy Johnson’s 133no the outstanding innings in reaching 257-8dec from 57 overs. Hamptonians needed half-centuries from Ben Chippendale (57) and Sam Wright (54) to chase but Grant’s haul – from 19.2 overs – was complemented by Max Hunt (3-70) to bowl out the visitors for 218.
Dulwich kept their south London neighbours within sight courtesy of a 98-run success against Walton after Ahmed Khan (70) and Apoorv Wankhede (106) led them to 301-5dec in just 55 overs. Kaif Ramzan and Khan collected three wickets each as Walton were dismissed for 203.
Normandy, Cranleigh and Malden Wanderers all won to ensure the top two cannot relax.
Sunday extra
They made a meal of it but Esher finally saw off Reigate Priory to become the league T20 champions for the first time, claiming the Edwards Cup.
Robert Honeybul’s side had thrashed Sunbury in the finals day’s opening encounter, hammering their way to 262-4 with Teague Wyllie’s 100 from 50 balls including 11 sixes as boats passing Graburn Way were in danger of raining cricket balls. David Brent (62) and Don Bouchart (46no) climbed in, Sunbury surrendering for 84 in 12 overs.
Priory were forced to fight much harder in the second semi-final, finally overcoming Weybridge by three runs.
Richie Oliver’s 72no was the main reason Reigate reached 150-7 but with 6.1 overs remaining they looked likely losers at 110-2. Priory were indebted to Jacob McLoughlin for removing Stuart Van Der Merwe (44) and Nathan Tilley (40) in his 3-21 to squeeze out victory.
Having chosen to bat first in the final, Reigate could only manage 137-9, Esher looking set for an easy win until a late panic, their opponents applying the pressure superbly but finally going down by two wickets with four balls remaining.
Honeybul was presented with the Edwards Cup – named in memory of David and Virginia Edwards, doyens of the league for many years – and Esher will represent the Surrey Championship in the national competition.
East Molesey staged finals day with their usual expertise and Moles were also busy in the CCC Cup, winning by six wickets at Harrow Town. Luka Woods (3-34) was their most successful bowler in bowling out the Middlesex side for 224, Marcus Campopiano’s 125 ensuring that was knocked off by six wickets with 3.5 overs to spare.
It earned them a home semi-final against Banstead, who saw off second division Horsley & Send by seven wickets. Dasun Opanayaka’s 66no could only extend H&S to 182 all out, Arjun Gill (71) and Patrick Rowe (39no) slamming the door with 14 overs in hand.
It was a tighter squeeze for Camberley, who edged past Bromley by just 15 runs. Aiden Barol (55) and Keddy Lasporis (67) ensured the Surrey side reached 247-8. Dan Walker added to his earlier 49no by claiming 4-25 as the Kent side were dismissed for 232.
They will play the winners of this Sunday’s remaining quarter-final, when Blackheath travel to Hornchurch.
