Merstham’s unbeaten run in the League and Cup competitions this season continued with another two victories last weekend, including reaching the quarter-finals of the league cup.

On Saturday the Fuller’s League Division One leaders defeated Deando Ruxley by six wickets, after bowling out their hosts for 130.

They began with nine men after two were caught up in Derby Day traffic around Epsom, but prospered on a quick track that had extra bounce.

Wasil Mohar took an early strike, with four runs on the board, on his way to 3-16 off six overs. He also took the next two wickets to leave Deando 48-3, while Ruxley opener Khurrum Shazad proved trickier to dismiss.

He was eventually caught and bowled for 77 - the only player to register more than 20 - by left-arm spinner Tharusha Tilakarathne. Merstham’s fifth bowler, he returned stunning figures of 4-10 off 4.3 overs, including wickets on the final two balls, leaving the winter import from Wandgas tortuously “on a hat-trick” going into next weekend’s match at West End Esher.

The hosts were all out in the 33rd over, with Ammir Tahir bagging 3-29 off eight overs.

In reply, with Nav Saeed absent, stand-in captain Ed Dawson saw two wickets fall with the score on nine, to Tahir Amin (2-48 off 10), but knew he had prolific Noman Javed to come at number four.

The batsman notched 75 not out in partnerships with opener Joe Shinners (17) and Dawson (7) before steering the visitors over the line alongside Tilakarathne (27 not out) in the 27th over.

Merstham chose to bat in Sunday’s cup game at home to Thames Ditton, Shinners top scoring with 63, including nine fours, off 93 balls.

Sunny Bowry in the middle order helped himself to 43 from 28 balls, four fours and three sixes before succumbing at 177-6 on Merstham’s way to 229 all out in the 45th over, Will Sharp scoring 22.

Sharp was also responsible for a run out of Thames Ditton’s opener for 17. Thames Ditton had reached 35 for no wicket before that, but then Younis upped a gear and the visitors found themselves 35-4 within a couple overs, Younis finishing on 3-23 and Ammar Tahir 2-32.

Felix Raj, who had taken four wickets, did his best to put Thames back in the game with 52 off 71 balls and enjoyed best support with Aidan Chapman (23) before both fell to sixth bowler Lithon Tarofder (3-9 off three overs).

Merstham now face Frimley, second in their league, on July 5 at Quality Street in the quarter-finals.

Captain Saeed said: “We’re nine games unbeaten this season now, with six wins in the league and three in the cup. We’ve won 21 from the last 25 league games and only lost twice, which is some record.

“We’ll be out to win at West End Esher, because they really embarrassed us three years ago, getting us out for a small score. But we are a very different team now.”

Three of the four sides won on Saturday, while the second team held Byfleet sufficiently at bay to earn a winning draw at Quality Street.

Byfleet chose to field and had an early reward when Jason Kyte was caught with the score on 12. Jason Drewett (40), Liam Powell (38) and Richard Feist (47) were the biggest scorers in a total of 182.

In reply, Byfleet’s Glyn Clough (50) and Matt Hockin (37) frustrated the bowlers until Ameer Pasha (2-40 off 17) had Hockin caught behind.

Chat Ranawaka (3-41) and Lithon Tarofder (2-22) took the other wickets, with Liam Powell claiming a run out, but after 47 overs the visitors were 153 for only eight down and clung on for a losing draw. 

The third team bowled out Dorking for 53 at The Ring and knocked off the runs in 12 overs.

Bharat Sahani came of age in the fourth team victory at Dorking, with his first half century since joining Merstham last summer.

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Many is the time Sahani has made a good start but then not quite gone on to reach 50.

The opener’s innings might have included seven fours, but he also ran many twos and threes in a measured knock, considering Merstham were 32-3 chasing 133 to win. At that point, Sahani was joined at the crease by Khan Mohamed, a player who has been showing great potential with the bat after an impressive 40 struck in a friendly at the end of last season.

This time, he struck 45 not out and Sahani was 63 not out at the end in a seven wicket win, to keep all four teams at the top of their leagues.

Earlier, Marcus Kyte had taken 2-19 off nine overs, with A Zahid and Will  Prior (2-13) also taking two wickets each.

On Sunday, Sahani struck another 47 before having to retire with a bruised forearm in a Sunday 1s and 2s joint defeat at Wallington. Jon White opened with 49 while Bill Ash scored 30 in Merstham’s total of 193 in 40 overs.

Callum Letts took 2-26 off three overs but Daniel Razzell struck an unbeaten 119 as Wallington went on to win in the 21st over.

In the development league game, Trinity Mid Whitgiftian scored 207-6 off 40 overs, six players taking wickets.

In reply, Ben Carter made a solid 23 and James Lowe 22 in the middle order, Matt Mandell also scoring 19, but Merstham had lost wickets regularly and were all out for 114.