AJ Sports Surrey Championship – Week 4 and T20 review

Ashhead v Sunbury

Ashtead find themselves bottom of the table after going down to Sunbury by 23 runs.

It was the second success of the season for the visitors, and they finished third after winning a low-scoring match.

An opening stand of 80 between Rajan Son (32) and Devansh Popley (47) suggested a batting day, but after that the best score was Conor Fultons 26 slips to 174. Harri Aravinthan (2-25), Tom Homes (2-35) and Sam Homes (3-27) did much of the damage.

Surreys Ben Geddes (12) were the first to reply stuttering to 151 with none of Ashtead’s batsmen managing to make 20. George OConnor and Matthew Arnold both took three goals, while Amar Virdi finished with 1-21 from six points. overruns.

Reigate Priory v Cranleigh

Cranleigh are yet to register a win on their return to the Premier Division, but they came agonizingly close in Reigate.

Chasing victory on 270, Clyde Fortuin (47) and George Ealham (60) recovered from 6-2, followed by Lewis Bedford (51) and Tommy Ealham (44). Bedfords’ start of 234-8 looked set to end Cranleigh’s hopes, but George Barlow (29) and Yousef Majid (10) held on for 28 until former Somerset leg-spinner Michael Munday trapped Majid for 10. And he barely had time to remove his pads. before seeing off fellow Surrey player James Taylor (2-50) at Barlow’s leg before ending the match. Richard Stevens finished with 4-40.

Former Priory skipper Richie Oliver smashed 82 from 77 balls at the top of the order, James Crosthwaite (54), Alex Ross (37) and Taylors 36no swelled the hosts to 269 in the final over.

Remember the best

Just two points separate the top half of Division 1, Valley End poked their heads above the crowd thanks to a 44-run win over Old Wimbledonians with a fine effort after their first two matches were called off due to weather. Promoted Walton are one point behind, beating struggling Spencer by six points as Rhythm Bedis’ unbeaten 75 oversees the chase.

Among the back three sides lies Sutton, now gaining momentum after Fabian Cowdrey (113no) and Surreys Josh Blake (61) lifted them to 289-7 against Camberley, dismissing the visitors for 193 all out.

Joining Spencer, who missed out on promotion last year, are Malden Wanderers, who went to Banstead with one door to spare.

Sunday is not a fun day

It proved disappointing for Surrey’s Championship clubs in Sunday’s second round of the ECB National Club Championships.

Weybridge’s long trip to Banbury in Group 11 proved fruitless as they were dismissed for 78 with only two batsmen reaching double figures. Australia’s Test batsman Will Pucovskis’ debut saw him register a six-ball duck.

An unlikely victory looked possible as the hosts slipped to 31-6 and Justin Lamdens 25no ended those hopes as they won by three wickets.

A day in Kent brought disappointment for East Molesey as they lost by 75 runs at Bexley in Group 15. Chasing 199, the visitors were dismissed for 123 with opener Marcus Campopianos’ best effort of 25.

Wimbledon, who scored a hat-trick of disappointments, suffered a six-wicket reverse against Hayes in Group 16. Ben Coddington (46) and James Weir (48) led them to 176-9, but the visitors were overtaken by Kents Alex. Blake (40).

T20

Rounding off a busy weekend was the second and third rounds of the Edwards Cup, the Surrey Championships T20 competition.

Action kicks off at 10am with three matches played at each of eight venues around the county, just like the Vitality Blast final day at Edgbaston, but minus the mascot competition and the other quarter-finals are: Wimbledon v Oxted & Limpsfield, Spencer v Cranleigh. , Reigate Priory v. Dulwich; Old Hamptonians v Weybridge.