Fuller’s League Division One

Merstham 209

West End Esher 194

The eventual dismissal of West End Esher’s overseas player proved the key to another victory for Merstham, who remain top of the Fuller’s League Division One by 27 points.

On an overcast day, Merstham were invited to bat by their fourth placed hosts and Joe Shinners (51) and Ashar Syed (43) put on an excellent stand of nearly a century for the first wicket.

At that point things started to unravel when West End introduced their South African all-rounder John Loxton, a leg-spinner who bowled a 16-over spell.

He had Syed caught, he caught and bowled Noman Javed (10), dismissed university returnee Arsalan Abass (9) caught and then had Suliman Younis (13) stumped to finish with 4-55.

Andy Rivers had notched 27 at number three, while the tail wagged with captain Naveed Saeed notching 16 and Tharusha Tilakarathne 18 as the visitors made 209 all out of their 50 overs.

In reply, Merstham struggled to deal with Loxton, a tremendous batsmen who smashed the ball all over the park and scored 119 before Tilakarathne returned to dismiss him in his second spell.

Tilakarathne had not found his rhythm in his first spell but found pace and bounce in the second and, with West End seemingly cruising, broke the partnership with the score on 130.

Home skipper Ian Cripps (26) was also one of Tilakarathne’s seven victims for 65 and only one other player managed double figures as West End Esher were dismissed for 194 in a close game. Asim Jafferi took the other three wickets for 32 runs.

“As a partnership they were absolutely awesome,” said captain Saeed of his bowlers. 

The second team, who also lead their division, hosted second placed Woodmansterne at Quality Street and dismissed then for 51.

The visitors held on for 37.3 as they struggled to make a decent total with no batsman making double figures. Opening bowler Safyan Aslam took 3-17 off 12 overs and Imran Khan 4-6 off nine. Lithon Tarofder (2) and Imran Aslan (1) took the other wickets, the latter in his third ball with no runs conceded. Khan took the bragging rights for most maidens with six.

Jason Drewett led the way in the reply with 25 not out as Merstham lost three wickets in chasing the total, club captain Richard Feist notching 18 not out as the target was reached in the 12th over.

The thirds were toppled from top spot (by a point) through losing to Battersea Ironsides having been set a target of 205 at The Ring. The visitors decided to bat and saw Jonny Christopher score 59.

For Merstham, Justin David took 2-44 off 10, and Zeeshan Murtaza 4-51 off 13 with Marcus Kyte (1) and Oliver Davidson (2-18 off 5) taking wickets.

The chase didn’t go well, despite an opening knock of 21 by opener Rory Crouch with Jez Gray top scoring on 33. Opener Asim Ashraf hit 10, Bobby Sharp 16 and Marcus Kyte a confidence-building 15 not out as the 10 men were dismissed for 120.

The fourth team held off an onslaught of appeals at Battersea to survive for a losing draw.

The hosts decided to bat and were 90-1 at drinks, before accelerating the run rate as they lost wickets, with quick running. On a big outfield, they had to run one four. Ross Drable accumulated an unbeaten century as Ironside batted on for the best part of 47 overs in the 90-over timed game, scoring 305-8, skipper Tony Rickards taking two wickets and the rest shared.

Winning by trying to score that many was always going to be an impossible task for the fourths, who did manage 275 two years ago at Epsom on a glass top-like surface, but then managed to dismiss their hosts for 250-odd. The author stands to be correctly but doesn’t think a score of past 170 has been achieved since. Certainly not batting second, although results are much improved from last season as the team starts to gel and targets of 200 or so might prove within this team’s grasp this season. They have certainly set their sights higher than last year, especially with the introduction of a few juniors. Ryan Murrough is welcome any time.

The fourths had spent much of last season chasing draws, so the nucleus of the side was used to the situation and the real target was surviving 44 overs.

Kashif Noon made a decent start (22) with Bharat Sahani (26) but they were always behind what the very hopeful might have called the “run-rate” before Noon was adjudged lbw.

That was to Keelan Singh, who proved far too quick for his next victim, Ian Lamont, before completing his hat-trick at the start of the next over by accounting for Khan Mohammed lbw.

A Zahid made a useful 28 before flying off to Pakistan the following day. His contribution will be missed, although Omer Shuja must have thought twice about giving him a lift home after he ran him out, having almost done so a few overs before!

Rob Wood found the best way to defend against the spinner who got huge turn and dismissed Zahid was to attack the ball. The wicketkeeper finished on 20 not out, all runs scored in boundaries. Will Prior was 6 not out as Merstham reached 144-7. There’s a bit of determination about this lot to make sure it is not just the club’s first two - or three - teams that have a run at the top of their division, in a much more balanced league than last year.