It was the opening week of the M Zaidi & Co Surrey Cricket Championship. Richard Spiller reviews the early action in the Premier Division
Guildford v East Molesey
Olly Birts was run out as he dived in vain for the run which would have earned Guildford a thrilling tie against East Molesey.
The hosts looked out of it when they reached the final over at 277-9, needing 19 for victory, but Birts took four off the first ball, Harry Porter then delivering two wides and seeing his next delivery crashed over the boundary for a six. Birts and last man George Valentine pinched singles off the next two balls before Birts hammered the next straight only to see it drop just short of the boundary to earn him four. That meant the captain still needed three for a win but Clyde Fortuin’s throw from the deep was too good as Birts dived in for a second run which would have tied the game, leaving the Moles celebrating victory.
Earlier they had been sent on their way to a formidable 295-5 by Sam Burge’s typically aggressive 68 from 52 balls and looked set to post more than 300 while new skipper Tom Cullen (62) and South African Fortuin (68) were putting on 122 for the fifth wicket in 21 overs.
Guildford fought back hard with the ball, Birts claiming 4-43, and were given a solid if slightly ponderous start of 62 by Sathya Chandrasekharan (34) and Finn Gordon. Moles were missing Andy Westphal with a shoulder injury but having Porter back after prolonged back trouble is a huge bonus, taking the new ball with older brother Toby who spent his winter playing in Melbourne.
Left-hander Gordon, who has been playing for Hampshire seconds this season, hit a remarkable double century for Casey South Melbourne in grade cricket last winter and went on to reach three-figures on his Guildford debut but he saw Australian newcomer Blake MacDonald (23) brilliantly caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Archie Houghton. Despite Jason Soames cracking a rapid 39, the hosts looked to be well beaten but they can take considerable heart from going so close on their return to the Premier Division.
With Jack Scriven, who took 2-45, swelling their ranks, Moles look a good bet to be among the title challengers.
Wimbledon v Sutton
A dramatic late collapse sent Wimbledon spinning to defeat by eight runs against Sutton in the Thameslink derby.
The champions looked well set to start their defence of the title at 208-5 in the 43rd over, needing only another 25. But George Compton removed Kaif Ramzan (22) and then trapped former South African Test player Dane Vilas (55) LBW in his next over. That opened the way for George Jackson to scatter the tail and dismiss Wimbledon for 224, both seamers and left-arm spinner Aneesh Jhalla claiming three wickets.
It proved a particularly rewarding victory for Sutton, who had lost Josh Blake around 30 minutes before the start when he was called up to join Surrey’s squad at Trent Bridge. Wimbledon sportingly allowed a replacement even though the toss had been made.
The visitors were grateful to Jayden Broodryk’s 89 from 82 balls for leading them out of difficulty at 96-6, adding 81 for the seventh wicket with Max Wallis, who made 52 on his league debut after switching from Esher. The visitors were dismissed for 232 in the 49th over, Steve Reeves finishing with 4-38 from 10.
Wimbledon looked likely winners while opener Adam Fox (74) a nd Kiwi Jack Boyle (37) took them to 108-1 in the 21st over but the latter paid for underestimating Dan Peall’s sharpness in the field.
Vilas, who played six Tests for South Africa between 2012 and 2016, was Middlesex’s acting head coach for much of last season and is now heading the academy at Church Road. His previous taste of Championship cricket was an exotic 155 for Sunbury against Guildford 10 years ago, his sole appearance for the club before playing for Lancashire.
Ashtead v Esher
It went to the final over before Ashtead squeezed home against Esher by two wickets.
Surrey’s Laurie Evans had rescued the visitors from the perils of 63-5 after being sent in, the early victims including his county colleague Nikhil Gorantla. Both were signed during the winter as Esher attempt to avoid having to make another late escape from relegation. The best of the early batsmen was opener Ollie Hunt (31), fresh from his century against Durham in the Second XI Championship at LSE last week.
Evans – who started his club career with Malden Wanderers and has taken in spells at Old Whitgiftians, Moseley, Dorridge, Hartley Country Club, Minster and Dartford – made 53 in adding 90 for the sixth wicket with Alex Chambers (46) as the visitors made it to 231 all out from 48 overs. Kiwi Lachie Stackpole and Sam Hunt took four wickets each.
Ashtead were on target when they reached the 31st over at 135-2 only to lose Stackpole (51) and Daniel Geddes inside four balls. Conor Young’s 53 provided backbone to their chase but they needed wicketkeeper Thomas Laudy (27) and Ben Sidwell (29) to get close, skipper Tom Homes and Hunt coming together with 10 still needed and seven balls left but Hunt hitting his first two deliveries for boundaries before two singles finished the job. Nicholas Smit took 3-50.
Banstead v Reigate Priory
Richie Oliver and Tommy Ealham spearheaded Reigate’s opening day charge as they sank Banstead by 67 runs.
The stylish Oliver cracked 103 from 133 balls after Priory had been sent in, enjoying a 94-run partnership with Ealham (53), who succeeded him as captain last year. Ollie Sheen’s 44no topped up the final total to 270-7 from 50. Krish Anand was the most successful bowler with 3-51, Ahmed Khan and Arsalan Abbas claiming two apiece.
Banstead, who finished third last year – one behind their neighbours from across the M25 – were immediately in trouble at 11-2. Surrey’s Ralphie Albert, having earlier bowled 10 overs for 51, fought back in making 59 from 47 balls. But support was scarce, only Paul Byrne’s unbeaten 46 down the order delaying Reigate for long on the way to being ismissed for 203. Ealham’s 4-31 from 10 did much of the damage as his side chase their first title for 12 years.
Spencer v Normandy
New boys Normandy were given a lesson in Premier Division realities as Spencer rushed to a seven-wicket victory.
Australian paceman Jackson Saggers struck with the last two balls of the opening over, after the visitors had chosen to bat first, Askshat Rai (4) caught in the slips and Nisal Francisco trapped LBW. The Sydneysider followed up by having Tom Haynes (11) caught behind and bowling Durham’s Nathan Sowter (5). When Oskar Kolk (16) deposited left-spinner Max Hunt down Gus Grant’s throat at long-off, Normandy were 41-5 and there was no way back.
Skipper Chris Jones (34) and Dylan Hurst (24) delayed the slide but Saggers returned to claim 5-30 from eight overs, the innings limping to 122 all out in 32.1 overs.
Spencer needed just 17.5 overs to finish the match, Hugo Darby (34) and Harry Stothard (30) leading the charge.
Best of the rest
Sunbury’s bid for an immediate return to Division One lifted off with a 34-run victory over Valley End.
It wasn’t looking good for Sam Burgess’s side when they slipped to 116-6 but Colby Dyer’s fiercely-struck 104 – coming in 100 balls, including 11 fours and four sixes – pulled things round with the help of George O’Connor (32) and Kevin Smith (41) to reach a sizeable 299-9 at the end. Joe Hill claimed 4-44.
Arya Khedekar (54) fronted the response, useful contributions including Hill’s 40 but he gave a return catch to seamer Smith and Dyer’s leg-spin earned him 3-38 as the visitors were bowled out for 265 with an over to spare.
The other relegated side, Dulwich, lost an exciting game by two runs to Walton but watch out for Malden Wanderers. They overcame Weybridge – top for much of last season – by 90 runs. Will Metcalfe hit 108 after Andrew Carson, who had enjoyed a blazing pre-season, went for a second-ball duck. A final total of 258-8 proved quite enough as Ralph Day (4-12) and Jack Martin (3-12) sank Weybridge for 168.
Once among the leading clubs in county, Cheam now themselves in Division Three East and suffered a 149-run hammering by Dulwich seconds in their opening match. But as recently as March it seemed their whole future was in doubt, so just getting out to the middle again at Peaches Close was a triumph in itself.
Sunday extra
A busy opening weekend included several Championship clubs being involved in the ECB National Club Championship.
Michael Sheen’s 5-17 saw Ealing collapse to 197 all out before Jack Scriven (56) led East Molesey to a five-wicket victory in group 11, although Malden Wanderers came off second-best against Banbury as they lost by 40 runs.
A high-scoring all-Championship Division One clash in group 12 saw Aaryan Pillai’s 105 guide Sunbury to 283-4 in their 40 overs, Josh Dodd’s 97 only able to guide Valley End to 257-9 as they lost by 26 runs. Normandy suffered a second heavy defeat in as many days, being bowled out for 152 after Teddington had sped to 327-8.
George Ealham’s 100no in 90 balls pulled up Reigate Priory to 210-8 at Tunbridge Wells in group 15, the Kent side being bowled out for 165.
Sutton are already specialising in tight finishes, looking outsiders when – replying to Blackheath’s 251 all out – they still needed 99 off the last 10 overs. But Max Wallis’s 33 from 15 balls changed the mood, Dan Peall (50no) and Harry Gardner (27no) polishing off the rest to win by four wickets with an over in hand.
Ashtead suffered the agony of going out on a bowlout, limiting Nonington to 155-8 and then being set a revised 160 from 36 following rain. They could only make 159-9 and then lost the twilight shootout 4-3.
No such issues in group 16, where Banstead hammered Haywards Heath by nine wickets, Esher sank Bromley by eight wickets and Wimbledon toppled Sandwich Town by 77 runs.
Next matches (May 31) – group 11: East Molesey v Harefield. Group 12: Sunbury v Teddington. Group 15: Nonington v Sutton; Preston Nomads v Reigate Priory, Group 16: Esher v Wimbledon; Lordswood v Banstead.
You can find live scores, results, fixtures and tables at surreycricketchampionship.play-cricket.com.
