After the opening week was washed out by rain, AJ Sports Surrey Championship clubs were able to make a belated start to their campaign, as Richard Spiller surveys the Premier Division action.
Wimbledon v Normandy
Oskar Kolk celebrated his return to Normandy in spectacular fashion as condemned champions Wimbledon to defeat.
The opener cracked an unbeaten 101 from 107 balls, including nine sixes, to secure a six-wicket victory in his first outing for the club since 2018.
Kolk’s Army career has meant his cricket has had to take second billing, although he has played for Landsdown and mixed appearances for the Bath-based club with some outings for Surrey Championship side Maori Oxshott last summer,
Having been seen their scheduled opening outing against Guildford abandoned, Wimbledon were inserted at Church Road. Progress was good while Leicestershire-contracted opener Nick Welch was heading to 42, putting on 49 for the second wicket with all-rounder Jack Boyle (76). After that only Billy Sewell (34) made much impact as the hosts were bowled out for 226 from the final ball of the 50 overs by an attack led by Nathan Sowter (4-38), the leg-spinner who has switched from Middlesex to Durham.
Nornandy’s reply slumped to 4-2 when Oliver Pike removed Olly Batchelor and Chris Jones but Harry Nielson (41) helped Kolk add 81 and Sowter’s 51 contributed to a fourth wicket partnership of 79. Chris Booth’s 20no completed the support as Kolk wrapped up victory with by six wickets with 11 overs to spare.
Ashtead v Guildford
Grandstand finish of the day came at Ashtead, where Guildford celebrated their return to the top tier in sneaking home by two wickets.
A soggy outfield, which delayed the start for 90 minutes and made it 42 overs apiece, saw Surrey’s Ben Geddes launch the proceedings by making 29. Harri Aravinthan (28) and his brother Ragu (43) kept the hosts in the match but Ashtead failed to utilise all their overs and lost the last three in consecutive balls to be dismissed for 160 from 41.3. Newcomer Zac Donohue (4-44) and Australian all-rounder Jono Merlo (3-37) both made impressive entrances.
Their efforts were in danger of being wasted when Guildford slipped to 9-2 and even former Hampshire opener Oli Soames – now director of cricket at Woodbridge Road – found his 50 looking to be in vain as left-arm spinner Tom Homes ripped through the middle-order in a spell of 5-18 from nine overs.
At 116-8, with nine overs remaining, the hosts were hot favourites but skipper Olly Birts (17no) was joined by Donohue and watched him smash two fours and three sixes in crashing an unbeaten 32 from 16 balls which took Guildford to an unlikely victory with 16 balls to spare.
East Molesey v Cranleigh
Winners of Division One last year, Cranleigh were given a taste of the challenge awaiting them in staying up as they suffered a four-wicket reverse at East Molesey.
Inserted at Graburn Way, Cranes were dismissed for 146, Bruno Broughton’s 27 the highest score in an innings which saw both Surrey-contracted players – Tom Lawes and Youseef Majid – last six balls between them and fail to get off the mark. Newcomer Oliver Haley was Moles’ star with the ball, claiming 4-29 from 8.2 overs, backed up by two victims apiece for Toby Porter and Jamie Southgate.
Champions in 2019 and 2021 before finishing third last year, Moles are determined to regain their crown and the return of opener Marcus Campopiano is a major boost to their ambitions. His 56 conspired with Sam Burge (35) in an opening alliance worth 91 before a burst of four wickets from Tommy Ealham suddenly changed the weather.
Majid returned 1-31 from 10 overs but East Molesey had sufficient strength in depth to complete victory with 58 balls in hand, Cranleigh single bowling point ensuring they avoided their own Eurovision tribute to Norway.
Esher v Reigate Priory
Last year’s runners-up Reigate Priory came to grief, ambitious Esher winning by 46 runs as a late start made it 26 overs each.
Having been sent in, the hosts were given a fine start by Justin Broad (50) and Surrey’s Sheridon Gumbs – who has switched from Slough – who made 44 from an opening stand worth 83, David Brent’s 38 adding substance to the final total of 175-8. Spinners Michael Munday and Angus Dahl claimed three wickets apiece.
Losing Richie Oliver (6) and James Crosthwaite (9) quickly, Priory had to rely on Australian Alex Ross for their chase. But when he departed for 35 at 96-8 the game was almost up, other than some defiance from Callum Mortimer (25). He was the third and final victim of paceman Ben Townsend (3-11), who has switched from Stoke d’Abernon. Broad’s 2-28 underlined his importance to a side which finished fourth last year, the Cape Town-based all-rounder having played international cricket for Germany and impressing frequently for Surrey’s second team.
Sunbury v Weybridge
Just one place off the relegation zone last year, Sunbury’s 85-run victory over Weybridge augurs well for a much improved campaign.
They amassed 301-7 after being sent in, being given the ideal platform by an opening stand of 103 in 17.5 overs by Sam Burgess (50) and Rajan Soni, who went on to make 96. Middlesex’s Martin Andersson ensured it was a tough day for new Weybridge skipper Nathan Tilley, attempting to make the best of a makeshift attack, by cracking 76 in 63 balls. Jacob Gordon and late-arriving Brent Kay limited the damage by claiming three wickets apiece.
Ben Curran’s 71 was the highlight of the reply, left-arm spinner Vishal Manro collecting 4-53 as Weybridge – who challenged for the title for much of last summer before fading badly – were dismissed for 216 in the 48th over.
Best of the rest
There were mixed fortunes for the two teams relegated from the Premier Division.
Malden Wanderers could be pleased by the 136-run hammering they dished out to Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians, prolific South African opener Zac Elkin’s 80 the backbone of 197-8 from 50 overs before dismissing the hosts for a paltry 61. Saul Anstey took 3-12.
Less happy were Sutton, suffering a two-wicket reverse to Walton. Surrey’s Josh Blake hit 37 but his departure at 80-2 prompted a slide to 166 all out. Blake was one of two victims for Mark Bainbridge, the left-arm spinner who captained England U19s and was on the county staff from 1992-96.
Dan Roberts (49) and wicketkeeper James Madoc-Jones (33no) were major contributors to the chase but it needed Bainbridge – two days after his 50th birthday but fitter than many half his age – to secure the points with an unbeaten 18, reward for a side promoted last year.
Valley End and Camberley will have to wait even longer than everyone else to get motoring, their washouts on the opening week being followed by the meeting of the two being abandoned on Friday with the former’s ground clearly unfit.
