First team finish on a high - weekend round-up

Merstham's first team, who had already secured the Fuller's League Division Two title, comprehensively defeated Warlingham at Quality Street by nearly 100 runs.

The hosts scored 215 with Tim Deans notching 60 and Arsalan Abass 42, Shakir Khan also notching 32.

Noman Javid took 4-27 and other bowlers included club treasurer Chris Clayson, who stepped up from the second team at the last minute. Asim Jafferi took 3-19 off 9, including top scorer Shailesh Amin (30) who was caught by Kyte having needed a runner for most of his innings.

The second team had Battersea Ironsides all out for 130 after 42.3 overs, but were all out in 18 overs for 53 runs.

Stuart Fielder took 3-24, Safyan Aslam, Imran Aslam and Bobby Sharp two wickets each.

Imran Aslam, batting No 9, top scored with 13 after Manish Patel (no 4) scored 11, as Venu Gopal snaffled 5-19.

The thirds chose to bat at Streatham and Malborough and scored 157 off 47.3 overs, with several contributing. The top four - Mike Hanlon, Jack Letts, Ben Carter and Olly Mayes - all made just under 20 but were shown how to score by No 11 Dan Carter (dad of Ben) who finished 25 not out. Extras top scored with 40.

Streatham were quick about chasing the total, needing just 26.1 overs for four wickets down, Daniel Johnson scoring 70 not out. Merstham's wicket takers were A Asim, Ben Carter, Callum Letts and A Bobson.

The fourth team - apart from Kashif Noon who scored half their runs in a defeat to champions Banstead - are to embark on a world tour. Some say they have been exiled until they can find a team they can beat, others say they have emigrated to Scotland, a nation ravaged by in-fighting as its inhabitants strive for independence (or not), in the hope of disappearing into the background and not being noticed. 

Whatever the truth, they were to be found practising hard in the nets at Quality Street as the first team won - and talking not of hibernation, but of paying for Friday night net sessions at the Oval or even Lord's over the winter, in a bid to improve. Anyone who wishes to join them can discuss it over a pint at the awards night on September 13. In the meantime they aim to harness their frustrations by throwing everything they have into winning at Ashtead in their final game next weekend.