If it’s raining then it must be a Saturday. Once more clubs had to clear up after morning showers but it led to a fascinating afternoon of action on week 10 in the Premier Division.
East Molesey v Weybridge
When first play second you would anticipate a close match. And on the face of it, that’s what happened at Graburn Way but East Molesey’s victory margin of four wickets was decidedly unflattering.
Sent in after a late start, Weybridge were dismissed for 82, Moles seamers Dominic Reed and Andy Westphal bowling throughout the innings for the second week running as they claimed 5-38 and 4-30 respectively. Josh Van Heerden and Nick Compton were joint top-scorers with 19, former Middlesex and England opener Compton being controversially run out.
Marcus Campopiano (35) and Tom Phillipe (19) seemed to have the match pretty match done and dusted when they launched the reply with 54. A fine spell of 4-15 from Steven Reeves, back up by fellow spinner Phil Mann’s 2-22, gave Moles a distinct wobble but they completed victory in the 20th over.
That has opened up a remarkable 59 point advantage at the summit, Weybridge sliding into third spot and – like everyone else – appearing to need snookers to catch up.
Cranleigh v Wimbledon
Reversing their sharp slide down the table, Wimbledon made short work of bottom side Cranleigh.
Oliver Pike’s 6-29 from 14 overs cut through the hosts, who were never likely to recover from slumping to 35-5, Ryan Anderson’s 24 their only score in double-figures. Jack Palser (3-18) scattered the tail.
Although Cranes rid themselves of Leicestershire’s Nick Welsh for 13 to make it 32-2, Jonathon Webb (36no) and David Scott (13no) ensured there were no further scares, pushing Wimbledon back up into fourth place.
Esher v Reigate Priory
Priory have yet to record a point in July as Esher shored up their position, opening up a gap of 40 points on the bottom three, through a six-wicket victory.
Rolled for 83 by East Molesey a week earlier, this time Reigate could only raise 98 with Matt Hutcheon’s 22 the best effort.
Doing most of the damage was Johnny Wright, whose 13 overs yielded 7-54, while Justin Broad’s 3-7 completed the job.
Will Edwards (39) overcame the loss of two early wickets, Alex Martin’s 20no rounding off the game.
Normandy v Sunbury
Letting the Sunbury tail get away proved fatal for Normandy.
They had the visitors in desperate trouble at 55-8 only for Subhan Ramzan (28), Matt Harpur (24no) and Vishal Manro (24no) – the latter pair putting on 50 – overcame an attack led by George Barlow (3-44) and Viggy Venkateswaran (5-68) to reach 143-9 from 52 overs.
Just how useful that proved became clear when Normandy were swept away for 51, the damage being done by Matt Harpur (5-17) and Ramzan (4-14).
Banstead v Ashtead
A fine all-round display from Harri Aravinthan could not wrestle a win for Ashtead as Banstead took the lion’s share of the points in a stalemate.
Sent in following a belated start, Aravinthan’s 54 was the feature of his side’s 183-9 from 52 overs, adding 59 with brother Ragu (30) for the fourth wicket. Satbir Mann’s 6-45 from 18 overs kept the visitors in check. Tyler Meyer claimed 3-49.
Banstead – having risen from the foot of the table a week earlier thanks to their first win of the campaign – looked set for a second while openers George Willis (56) and Dan Newton (29) were putting on 90. They fell away, though, Aravinthan making the first incision in his 2-49 and joining forces with Aaron Rose (3-24) and Tom Homes (2-21) to leave the hosts on 178-8 at the end.
Best of the rest
Malden Wanderers and Sutton are a point apart at the top of Division One after deepening the woes of the bottom pair.
Wanderers had an unbeaten 119 from run machine Zac Elkin to thank for heading their charge to 231-6 at Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians, Pete Young’s 6-27 despatching the hosts for 78. And basement boys Camberley’s 156-8 from 31 overs was overhauled by Sutton with five wickets and 2.2 overs to spare, Josh Blake making 45.
Early pacesetters Spencer fell to their second defeat in nine days, their 219-9 seemingly enough until last pair Angus Boobyer and Sam Bodoano nipped past it from the final ball of the game.
Guildford moved back into fourth place, overcoming Beddington – who are staging their cricket week this week – by 11 runs a low-scoring but gripping contest at Woodbridge Road.
