East Molesey CC have extended their lead at the top of the AJ Fordham Surrey Championship after another packed weekend of cricket around the county.
Richard Spiller reviews the action from across Surrey as the games moved from fifty over matches to timed cricket, played over a minimum of 120 overs.
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Normandy v East Molesey
There was no hanging around for East Molesey (2019 Champions, pictured) as they rushed to victory by nine wickets, extending their lead at the summit to a hefty 38 points.
The first of nine rounds of time matches saw the champions take advantage of Normandy’s shaky batting to bowl them out for just 78 in 31.3 overs. Only skipper Viggy Venkateswaran (24) and Max Stevenson (11) reached double-figures as Dominic Reed, Frank Knight and Jake Kings all claimed two wickets apiece to reward the decision to insert.
Marcus Campopiano departed quickly when the reply was launched but Tom Phillipe (40no) and Kings (26no) polished off the rest in the 21st over.
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Reigate Priory v Cranleigh
Cranleigh’s revival – a heavy win over Normandy – proved brief as Reigate Priory made it three wins on the roll to move into fourth place.
Three victims apiece from Richard Stevens and Ollie Thilo dismissed the Cranes for 146, a fifth wicket stand worth 73 between Lewis Bedford (35) and Sam Bugler (40) having lifted them from 39-4 after being sent in.
Richie Oliver (34) and Brad Scriven (25) launched the response with an alliance worth 60 and although Jamie Thompson’s 3-11 briefly changed the momentum, Luke (35no) and Rory Haughton (23no) enjoyed a brotherly partnership of 55 to chalk up victory by six wickets.
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Sunbury v Esher
Bowlers stayed in charge all day at Sunbury, Esher being sent home reflecting on a five-wicket defeat.
Given first use of the pitch, the visitors were dismissed for 148 in the 56th over, opener Andrew McCallum’s 29 their best effort, Matt Harpur returning 4-35 and Martin Andersson 3-41.
Sunbury were in strife at 12-2, Middlesex all-rounder Andersson departing for a duck, and Sam Burgess’s 24 at the top of the order ended by a run out. Conor Fulton (24no) and Kristan Baumgartner (33no) ended the contest in a stand worth 55 to keep their side in second place.
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Weybridge v Banstead
If Banstead harboured hopes they would end their disastrous start at the bottom of the table, they were soon dashed at Weybridge.
An speedy finish looked certain when the visitors sank to 26-4 after being sent in and that deteriorated to 40-6 and then 104 all out in the 45th over. Neil Baker, as so often this season, lasted longest in making 27, Joe Barrs and Simon Reeves claiming three victims each.
Odge Davey’s 50 in 26 balls – including nine fours, two sixes and not a lot of running – dominated the reply, Nathan Tilley finishing 44no to usher in a nine-wicket success in the 17th over.
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Pandemic news
A number of matches had to be cancelled because of players having to isolate after being linked to positive cases. They included Wimbledon v Ashtead in the Premier Division, Malden Wanderers v Spencer – which was due to be a battle of the top two clubs in Division One – and Bank of England v Oxted & Limpsfield in Division Two.
Best of the rest
With the top two out of action, Sutton took the opportunity to close the gap as they saw off Guildford by 62 runs at Cheam Road.
Skipper Luke Smith and Sam Seadon (70) set the tone by opening up with a stand worth 147, Smith falling eight runs short of his maiden century, Fabian Cowdrey’s superb 50 from 29 balls leaving the visitors with few answers as they conceded 268-4 from their 50 overs.
It got even worse for Guildford when they lost Oli Soames to the third ball of the reply and they never looked like getting close – youngster Freddie Geffen’s 51 the best effort – in being bowled out for 206 to slide to a third successive defeat and slump into seventh place. Sutton are just a point off the promotion zone now.
Cup extra
Weybridge got the better of Sunday’s ‘Battle of Elmbridge’, beating East Molesey by 53 runs to reach the last 32 of the ECB National Club Championship.
Nathan Tilley (53), Andrew Curtis (36) and Simon Reeves (32) propelled the hosts to 198-7 from 40 overs, despite left-arm spinner Matt Tigg claiming 5-35 to fillet the middle-order, Harshil Patel knocking over Moles’ top four. Cole Campbell’s 44 engineered a revival with Sam Burge (25) but Moles were dismissed for 145 as Joe Barrs claimed 3-32.
Rain interfered with the group 15 final, Banstead reaching 184-6 from 34 overs mainly through Liam McKendry (43) and Abishek Sabesan’s unbeaten 59 but Reigate Priory’s 75-0 after 17 overs was enough to take them through.
