Sunday joy for the seconds at Quality Street
The Sunday seconds earned a dramatic victory at Quality Street.
Skipper Bill Ash won the toss on a damp wicket and, gambling on early movement, put the visiting Salfords team into bat.
It was a bold move and thanks to 1950s dancehall levels of swing, the run rate stayed low and two wickets fell in the opening 19 overs, with the visitors 22-2 at one point. In came the middle order and, as the track dried, settled in for a solid slogging effort.
One man down and with a dry outfield, Merstham struggled to contain the scoring to under ten an over on a track that started to reward the batsmen even for sloppy shots - conditions echoed in the England v India Test at Trent Bridge.
This is not to denigrate the willow wielders, who played classy shots and were rewarded with several half centuries - from Apted (56), D Besley (52) and R Besley (87 not out).
Eventually, as the middle order tired, Terry Garrett was brought on for a longer spell which saw a further three wickets fall and the visitors decided that 235 was a solid looking target by the time tea was served.
After residual jam was licked from fingers and chocolate crumbs swept away, Merstham regulars Kashif Noon and John Turner jogged enthusiastically to the crease to begin the response, followed by optimistic cheers echoing across the field.
Ten overs in and with the score tickling double figures, a fresh injection of energy was brought to the crease after an unfortunate edge by Turner (5) to the slip cordon sent Jack Letts in at number three to stand and deliver.
Two overs later, and another wicket falling sent in Bobby Sharp, who scored 19 before gloving to the keeper, Alex Goodey went out to replace him - joining stalwart Noon, still clinging limpet-like to his crease.
Noon fell with a respectable season-best 40 and when the final 20 overs began Merstham needed 172 to win – 8.6 an over.
Goodey and new man Will Preston set to work, aiming for not only an ambitious chase to ensure a good game, but also to bring the bacon home to Quality Street - Preston returning after a long break and Goodey having been out for a duck the day before but still flying high after a career best 47 the week before.
Shall we say there are now a few more red marks on the boundary rope? Plentiful fours, in addition to two big sixes (Goodey) and scampering twos saw the run rate double and the game was on.
Despite several bowling changes, the action continued apace with Goodey passing his previous best, hovering on 49 for an over, before knocking a three and breaking new ground in the half century club, eventually finishing on 60, skittled by a stray puppy - but still very happy.
Will Prior joined Preston, still running like a Collie, at the crease and carried on the hunt, keeping the run rate high and giving belief to the watching crowd.
Overs ticked down, runs hurtled up and the visiting side started to realise that the Magics had twiddled their wand over Quality Street today. Prior and Preston (43 not out) continued - more red marks on the rope and more crazy running - until the scores were tied with two overs left. The rest, as they say, is history, as Prior - returning from honeymoon on the morning of the match – knocked a boundary to finish an epic battle in Merstham's favour on 40 not out.
Alex Goodey