There were mixed fortunes for Merstham on the final weekend of league action - with two 'Khan's enjoying an end-of-season flourish with the bat.

The third team finished sixth in their league, after suffering a narrow defeat at The Ring to Chipstead, Coulsdon and Old Walcountians.

The visitors chose to bowl and Merstham’s top three all got a dozen or a baker’s dozen before Saqib Khan held the innings together with 56 not out.

Opening bowler Rory Smith took 5-19 from two spells for Chips as the hosts were all out for 123 off 31.4 overs.

In reply, Marcus Kyte and Ben Carter (2) took early wickets to reduce Chips to 19-3 and Michael Lock (20) and Alec Martin (25, retired not out) progressed the visitors’ score in the direction of victory.

Bobby Sharp trapped Lock lbw on his way to 2-14 (5 maidens) off 10 overs, while Kyte (3-10 off 10 overs, 7 maidens) took two more wickets. The visitors wobbled on 107, losing three wickets, skipper Mike Hanlon’s intervention to bowl reaping the reward of Adam Barber’s wicket for 13, one of two catches by Sharp.

Carter finished with 2-26 (4 maidens) off 10, but Jim Orr (16no) and Paul Huitson (3no) edged Chips over the winning line, eight wickets down after 43.5 overs.

The fourth XI (pictured) won and lost a game on the same day. Ashtead pulled out of the league fixture – conceding the points and giving Merstham the victory - and a friendly was arranged at Tadworth.

The hosts have two Saturday teams - the top one finished third in the Surrey Downs League. At the risk that it seems the writer is getting the team’s excuses in first, they only put out four first teamers, a couple of players their ‘eight coloured pens’ scorer had not seen before and an American who was making his annual trip to the club to play a weekend of cricket.

Bowling first, Merstham sensed they could be in for a difficult day when one opener posted 50, when only 60 runs had been scored. Next ball, he played on trying to attack outside off stump, giving Sumair Qasim – the third highest wicket taker in the fourth team’s regular division – the breakthrough. Then another batsman scored 50 and the hosts were 130 at drinks, after 20 of their 40 overs.

After that, however, Merstham slowed the run rate and took wickets, including from captain Will Prior and Bharat Sahani as well as Gus Locke, the American visitor even walking for one when he edged a catch to keeper Rob Wood who was keen to keep himself in contention for the 'golden glove' as top catches taker at the club this season.

Just as it looked like Merstham – with just a couple of misfields and one overthrow and some difficult catches put down – would stem the flow of runs to give themselves a chance of winning, a couple of youngsters came in and bashed boundaries at the end.

Undeterred, the fourths took their team picture, enjoyed tea including doughnuts and – in the hysteria of the final game of the season – the writer agreed to open the batting again, having been demoted from the task back in June - with success, bashing a late-innings 37!

He was soon back in the pavilion, giving others the chance to shine, particularly Khan Mohammed who, it turns out, has been hiding his light under a bushel.

Rumour has it he was teased he had a great bat but not the scores to show for it. Whatever inspired him, he belted a fair few boundaries in an innings of 40. Qasim struck 26, Locke a good number of runs and the visitors reached 154 before a strange ending, in which the last pair scored nought with the bat but had a partnership of seven - six byes and a wide.

The innings could have lasted a little longer, but Mike Wadsley, who 11 years ago had postponed his retirement by joining Merstham, agreed to a second and was run out in what he insists will be his final game.

A former fourth XI captain, he has cherished memories of scoring more than 1,000 runs for the club, not least one last glorious cover drive that was one of two fours in an innings of 11. We wish him well and thank him for his service.

On Sunday, there was just one Merstham match because the club was hosting the Fuller’s Brewery County League Cup Final. This, then, was a second XI match at Mynthurst, which was narrowly won by the hosts in another close game.

Will Ash lost the toss and Merstham were asked to bat, making a fine 192-7 off 40 overs – a great effort after a slow start.

They had scored 29 off 10 and 71 off 20, Mynthurst's opening bowler conceding no runs off his opening spell of five overs.

Opening bat Jason Kyte top scored with 79, helping Merstham to 152-6.  Bharat Sahani struck a sparkling 40, while Sumair Qasim weighed in with a useful and belligerent 29 at the end.  

After containing the hosts after tea to 23 in the first 10 overs, Mynthurst began to get things rolling to ensure the chase did not get out of hand.

Jason Kyte added to his batting performance with a tidy display behind the stumps taking two catches and one stumping.  Big thanks to Marcus Kyte who filled in for a late pull out just 20 minutes before the start of play.  He was the pick of the bowlers weighing in with 2-25 off 7 overs.  Mynthurst eased over the line with just nine balls to spare.