It was the final week of time matches in this season’s AJ Surrey Championship. Richard Spiller reviews the action from the Premier Division and beyond.
Normandy v East Molesey
Game of the day – maybe the season – saw East Molesey and Normandy fight out a thrilling tie.
Mac Wright’s 53 had steadied the Moles after early trouble before Sam Burge (44), Oliver Haley (39) and Jamie Southgate (34) stretched the innings to 233 all out in 53 overs, left-arm spinner Viggy Venkateswaran their main obstacle with 5-54 from 17 overs.
Normandy, having failed to win any of the first eight time matches, were in good shape to terminate that run when opener Olly Batchelor (53) and prolific Australian wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen (27) were in harness. They were to be parted at 106-3, which soon became 119-5. Skipper Chris Jones, having suffered a rotten summer with the bat, rediscovered his form for a first half-century of the campaign and carried his side’s hopes.
When he became one of three victims for Southgate, it was 216-8 while eight runs later left-arm spinner Johnny Fawcett (4-60) bowled Venkateswaran for 26.
Final pair Prahlad Odedra (11) and Rhodri Williams (3no) refused to give up the fight, needing four to win from the 67th and final over, delivered by off-spinner Southgate.
Odedra took two from the third ball but still needed a brace from the last, being beaten by Toby Porter’s throw as he desperately sought to complete the second.
That gave both sides 12 points, Moles losing ground on the top three given they all won but Normandy’s dozen at least meaning they are now 16 ahead of the bottom three.
Cranleigh v Reigate Priory
Cricket’s habit of bringing players down to earth with a jolt hit the Ealham brothers hard as Cranleigh were bowled out for 40.
George had been millimetres from becoming a national hero on the second day of the Ashes Test at The Kia Oval, his magnificent piece of fielding almost running out Australian legend Steve Smith only for wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow to nudge a bail off prematurely.
Younger sibling Tommy was on duty a day earlier, both impressive additions to the Ealham dynasty which saw grandfather Alan captain Kent – one of the best outfielders of his generation often being called upon to act as a Test substitute – and dad Mark play for Kent, Nottinghamshire and England.
They returned to Cranleigh knowing that time is running out for their side to escape the basement. But Tommy, whose promotion to open saw him dismissed for a fourth-ball duck a week earlier at Esher, lasted three balls this time. George’s 13 balls did not get him off the mark either and he became one of six victims – costing just 16 in 9.4 overs – for seamer Richard Stevens.
Backed up by two wickets each from George McLoughlin and Tom Massey, Priory dismissed the home side in 19.4 overs, Bruno Broughton’s 10 the only score in double-figures.
Reigate skipper Richie Oliver ensured the agony did not last long, his 33no from 19 balls completing the chase in a mere 5.3 overs to end the match on the stroke of lunch.
It gave Priory hope of breaking into the top half of the table and Cranes remain 40 points adrift at the bottom, close to needing snookers.
Sunbury v Ashtead
Sunbury maintained their 16-point lead at the summit, deepening Ashtead’s problems at the same time.
Having been sent in, the visitors were instantly in trouble at 2-2 and only Conor Young’s rearguard innings of 72 could inflate their total to an insubstantial 129 all out in the 40th over.
George O’Connor was the bowler responsible for their downfall, his 7-30 from 11 overs including Young. Middlesex’s Martin Andersson (2-42) led the support act.
Skipper Rajan Soni’s 41 led the reply, opening partner Sam Burgess making 29 and Nico Reifer 32 as Sunbury cruised in by four wickets within 25 overs.
Weybridge v Wimbledon
Will Pucovski might have been hoping to be playing at The Kia Oval had his career run more smoothly.
But the Australian wicketkeeper-bat has had a rotten fortune with several episodes of concussion, so rebuilding his career by playing club cricket sent him to Weybridge.
Pucovski’s aggressive counter-attack for 40 could not save the hosts, though, as they suffered a seven-wicket defeat against Wimbledon.
Oliver Pike’s 5-41 was the principal architect of Weybridge’s woes, claiming 5-41 from nine overs as they tumbled to 100 all out in 17.5 overs. Pucovski entered at 21-2, adding 20 with opener Haydir Ali (18) but soon finding himself engaged in a lone battle, hitting eight fours in his 30-ball stay. Matthew Benning (2-38) and Ben Twine’s 3-19 backed up Pike with typical efficiency.
The visitors soon lost their openers, Tim Lloyd (50no) and David Scott (25no) ensuring a seven-wicket success was completed in the 27th over.
Guildford v Esher
Victory by two wickets kept alive Guildford’s outside hopes of a successful title tilt while effectively ending Esher’s chances of a late run.
Easy winners when the sides met back in May, Esher plunged to 95-7 after being sent in with captain Will Edwards (39) preventing a complete meltdown. An eighth wicket alliance worth 70 between Freddie Harrison – cracking three sixes in his 46 – and Ben Townsend (21no) gave the visitors hope, Olly Birts finishing off the innings to collect 5-59 from 25.2 overs. There were three victims for paceman Zac Donohue.
Leg-spinner Harrison revelled in the Woodbridge Road conditions as he kept the hosts in check with 6-70, being responsible for a slide from 72-1 to 97-5. Don Bouchart’s 41 kept him at bay before departing to young paceman Alex French but Fred McMillan’s 31 and Donohue saw Guildford to victory by two wickets which keeps them within 16 points of the top. Esher remain fifth, finding themselves 62 points off the pace.
Best of the rest
A stalemate with Malden Wanderers saw Banstead’s lead at the top of Division One trimmed to 13 points.
Choosing to bat 65 of their maximum 66 overs, Wanderers amassed 307-6dec which was built around Andrew Carson (51) and Pete Young’s unbeaten 69. Arsalan Abbas returned 4-89 from 19 overs.
Losing Arjun Gill (2) early in the reply, Banstead settled early for a draw as Neil Baker (52) and Patrick Rowe (62) batted cautiously, Harawal Ahmed Wassam’s racy 76no from 53 balls only being enough to ensure the visitors completed the 55 overs back at 219-4, well short of the winning draw score.
They remain 28 points ahead of Wanderers, though, the hosts needing a late charge to ensure they return to the Premier Division at first time of asking.
Valley End’s campaign remains promising, occupying second place, after disposing of strugglers Old Wimbledonians by 148 runs.
Their 284-6 in 59 overs owed much to South African Josh Dodd’s 152 – which included 15 fours and three sixes, lifting him to 648 runs so far – while George Freeman cracked 74no.
Brandon McCabe’s unbeaten 82 failed to prevent OWs being despatched for 136, Jamie Stephens collecting 4-20.
Third-placed Sutton remain heavily involved in the promotion fight, a four-wicket win at Camberley owed to half-centuries from Cameron Tanner and Dan Peall plus Dan Edwards making 30no at the end in replying to 217 all out.
Relegation increasingly looks like a threeway contest between Camberley, Wimbledonians and basement boys Chipstead.
Churt & Hindhead made the sort of history no team wants when they were bowled out for a mere 22 at Haslemere, the lowest score in Division Five history. Seven players suffered ducks and they went down by nine wickets as the runs were knocked off in four overs.
