It was week 16 of the M Zaidi & Co Surrey Cricket Championship, with one issue decided in the Premier Division but with the tension mounting at the top. Richard Spiller explains
Reigate Priory v East Molesey
Ollie Sykes smashed a century to beat East Molesey and reduce their lead at the summit to just eight points.
A team who enjoyed a massive cushion of 55 points midway through last month are now in danger of blowing it, with Esher and Sutton both close behind and hoping to capitalise on another slip.
Moles have now lost three of their last five matches, making 229-6 after being sent in at Reigate with skipper Tom Cullen’s 55 their highest score.
Accustomed to bidding for titles at this time of year – although they have not landed one since 2014 – Priory have spent much of this season in the bottom half of the table. A knee injury suffered playing for Surrey 2s in April kept Sykes out of action for three months and has restricted him to four matches for the Club.
The aggressive left-hander underlined how much he has been missed by making 101 from 103 balls, adding 74 with skipper George Ealham for the third wicket.
Moles felt they had a chance when Andy Westphal (3-39) returned to bowl Sykes in the 37th over, making it 177-6, but Agnideep Sarkar (21no) and veteran Richard Stevens (20no) saw the hosts to victory by three wickets with eight balls to spare.
Moles will hope to take advantage of hosting relegation-threatened Spencer on Saturday before heading to defending champions Wimbledon on the final week.
Spencer v Esher
Esher are right on the heels of the leaders, although they had to fight their way to a three-wicket victory which put Spencer back into the drop zone.
Chasing 208, the visitors were in trouble at 87-5 before David Brent (73) and wicketkeeper Andrew Whaits (51) added 109. The pair departed within three runs of each other to give Spencer hope but they were beaten with 10 overs to spare and now find themselves 14 points off safety and hoping to capitalise on East Molesey’s wobble on Saturday.
Earlier, Hugo Darby – who will be moving to Australia with his family after this season – scored 96, taking his tally this year to 635 runs. But next best was Roan Kennedy’s 39, the youngster having just returned from playing in the ECB Super 4s at Loughborough. Chiefly responsible for wrapping up the innings for 207 in the final over was Brent with 4-19 from 4.5 overs.
Esher host Wimbledon and if the title fight goes to the final round they may have an advantage given they play already-relegated Guildford.
Normandy v Sutton
Ryan Hackney’s unbeaten 121 kept Sutton in the title frame as they crushed Normandy by eight wickets.
It was the Sydneysider’s first century of the season – taking him past 600 runs, his best yet contribution in three seasons at Cheam Road – to maintain a three-way fight at the top of the Premier Division.
Normandy’s impressive return to the top tier is in danger of tailing off, overcoming a tough start to move into the top half of the table but most recently being beaten by each of the three leading sides. They were restricted to 223-8 after being sent in, Neal Prowse’s 40 the leading contribution before he was caught and bowled by Max Wallis who, along with fellow spinner Harry Gardner, claimed three wickets.
Sutton hit early turmoil as the departure of openers Cameron Tanner (9) and Ansh Bansal (7) left them 16-2.
But left-hander Hackney, in his first season as Sutton captain, was joined by Fabian Cowdrey (70no) as they saw Sutton to victory with a massive 10.3 overs to spare. Having held the lead several times last year before fading to sixth, it would be ironic if Sutton were to pinch top spot while never having occupied the summit this time. They will be tested by a visit from Reigate Priory on Saturday and then head to relegation-threatened Spencer.
Banstead v Guildford
An 85-run defeat condemned Guildford to relegation, Banstead’s win taking them out of the drop zone.
Despite an encouraging start to the campaign, winning two out of four 50 over matches and only losing to East Molesey by one run, Guildford have had a tough campaign. There have been only three wins overall and the longer time matches were a disaster, a dreadful run of injuries exposing the lack of depth at Woodbridge Road.
Banstead were given the ideal start by openers Alfie Haxton (66) and Ayush Patel (56) putting on 123, which was topped up by Patrick Rowe’s unbeaten 57 on the way to 257-8.
Finn Gordon – the fourth highest run scorer in the Premier Division – made 62 at the top of the reply but was one of four victims for Surrey left-arm spinner Ralphie Albert, Guildford sliding to 172 all out. Albert finished with 4-39 from 10 overs.
No team has emphasised the gulf between the top two tiers better than Guildford over the past decade. Relegated in 2017, they bounced back immediately only to sink again in 2019. They returned in 2022 and finished runners-up the following season, desperately close to their first title since 2001. But that was followed by another relegation in 2024, going back up last year only to sink again. If there was a Division O.5 they would be perfectly suited.
Wimbledon v Ashtead
Champions last year, Wimbledon left it rather late to retain their title, making it five wins in a row with the focus squarely on Tim Lloyd on Saturday.
The tall opener was so unhappy about getting out for 135 – which included 10 fours and six sixes – that he jumped in anger and twisted his knee, needing crutches to make his exit. With Jack Boyle making 37 and Joe Baldwin’s 33, it meant the hosts made 279-8 after choosing to bat first. Max Woolf finished with 4-61 from 10 overs.
Wimbledon’s excellent teas clearly had a restorative effect on Lloyd, who fielded at slip during a reply which had reached 122-4 and then felt strong enough to bowl. He had Kiwi Lachie Stackpole (78) caught behind by Dane Vilas and followed it up with two more wickets in a comeback of Lazarean proportions. Max Woolf’s 53 provided the only other lengthy resistance before he was last out for 53, Ashtead dismissed for 244 with six points helping to keep them in fifth place.
Still 28 points off the summit, Wimbledon may be too far behind to win the title again but with Esher and East Molesey to play they could be kingmakers.
Best of the rest
Heading the field right from the start, Sunbury secured an immediate return to the Premier Division with two matches to spare.
They beat Dulwich by 37 runs, damaging the hopes of the side relegated alongside them last year and who started the day in second place.
Skipper Sam Burgess (50) and Colby Dyer (64) dominated the home side’s 215 all out from 41.4 overs as Dan Empson, Harrison Perry and Joe Payne chipped in with three wickets apiece.
But if Sunbury feared that leaving so many overs unused might cost them an 11th win of the season, they were swiftly put to rest by paceman George O’Connor – who played three times for Worcestershire in the Metro Bank Cup this year – claiming three victims. James Schofield’s 67, putting on 60 for the seventh wicket with Perry (27) provided a fightback but veteran seamer Kevin Smith (4-24) was key to bowling out the visitors for 178 to sew up the title.
Defeat pushed Dulwich into third spot, Malden Wanderers returning to second place through a four-wicket success at Camberley, leading Dulwich by eight points with Old Rutlishians another four behind.
Beddington, just a win away from promotion 12 months ago, leave Division One by the trapdoor instead after going down by 35 runs to Old Hamptonians, giving the victors hope they may yet scramble away from the drop.
East Molesey’s overall strength is such that they have become the first Premier side to have their second team in Division One – which only became possible under the new structure inaugurated last year – with a 28-run victory over Chipstead, Coulsdon & Waltcountians ensuring a place in the top two. They still trail Sinjun Grammarians by two points, the Wandsworth side losing to third-placed Oxted & Limpsfield but taking five points in the process.
Tables – Premier Division (16/18)
1 East Molesey 272; 2 Esher 264; 3 Sutton 259; 4 Wimbledon 244; 5 Ashtead 177; 6 Reigate Priory 166; 7 Normandy 165; 8 Banstead 155; 9 Spencer 141; 10 Guildford 109 (R).
Division 1
1 Sunbury 281 (C); 2 Malden Wdrs 236; 3 Dulwich 228; 4 Rutlishians 224; 5 Weybridge 211; 6 Valley End 201; 7 Walton 170; 8 Camberley 166; 9 Hamptonians 153;10 Beddington 117 (R).
Sunday supplement
It’s going to be an all-Surrey final in the Conference Cup.
Banstead will play East Molesey at Stanmore CC on Sunday September 13 (11am) after the pair won their respective semi-finals on Sunday.
Having defeated Crouch End a week earlier in the last eight, Banstead’s chances of further progression looked unlikely when they slumped to 107-7 against holders Hornchurch, who beat Moles in last year’s final.
But they were rescued – as so often – by Australian Patrick Rowe, who made 118no and was assisted by Tom Pitchley (46no) in taking the hosts to 216-7 at the end of their 45 overs. Sam Handley took 4-32.
Handley (38) and George Hankins (69) were the main threats with the bat, guiding the Essex side to 153-2, but a sudden decline saw them bowled out for 186, Ahmed Khan finishing with 4-41.
East Molesey set up a replay of the 2024 final – which they won – in cruising past Waltham by seven wickets. Nafis Shaikh (50) and Tanweer Sikandar (55) were responsible for the visitors finishing at 228-8, skipper Toby Porter taking 3-42.
Jake Kings cracked 69 at the top of the reply but Clyde Fortuin took the starring role with 114no from 80 balls, hitting 13 fours and four sixes – one of them bringing up his century and landing in the River Thames – to hurry victory in just 35.1 overs.
