Fuller’s Brewery Surrey County League Division One
Merstham 239-7dec
Frimley 207-9

A sudden feeling from normal No 11 Asim Jafferi that he fancied a bat helped Merstham end their losing streak and claim a losing draw at Frimley.

Visitors Merstham, the Fuller’s Brewery Surrey County League Division One leaders, were asked to bat and scored 239-7 off 51.5 overs.

After a couple of weeks with batting being the failure in defeats, opener Andy Rivers batted really well for 48, with Noman Javed returning to form in the middle order with 47.

Then came a collapse, with three wickets lost with the score on 151, at which point Jafferi piped up.

Captain Nav Saeed said: “He put his pads on and said ‘I want to bat today’ and played the most amazing innings of 61 not out in about 40 balls. He struck four or five sixes. He’s a number 11 batsman and a pure bowler and he took the game away from Frimley and put on 80-odd with Humayoon Nasir.”

The skipper had been looking for his batsmen to come good after some low scoring performances – and also for the team to bat 50 overs, not least with Frimley looking to secure a spot in the top two, which would guarantee promotion.

Merstham’s first aim, therefore, was to stop Frimley winning as the hosts began their reply – and they took nine wickets as the hosts scored 207 from their 44 possible overs.

John Hebditch scored 32 (30 in boundaries) and displayed every intention of winning the game, before being trapped leg before by Jafferi (2-34 off 7) leaving them 49-3. Phil Lion (61) and skipper David Carroll (43) then put on 95 for the fourth wicket, Lion bowled by Nasir (3-36 off 10). Carroll followed 22 runs later and Dion Parsons scored a quick-fire 30 to leave the tail hanging on for a draw.

Tharusha Tilakarathne took his season’s wicket tally to 32 with three more victims, including Carroll, but try as they might Merstham could not take the final wicket to win. “It was a great game of cricket by two attacking teams,” said Saeed, who was glad to end a run of defeats. “That’s how you get confidence back. Noman got back into form and we’re looking good. If we play like that we will beat most teams.”

Merstham face mid-table Mitcham on Saturday and are 28 points ahead of second place West End Esher with Frimley a further eight behind.

The second team remain top of the 2^nd XI Premier Division, by seven points from Staines & Laleham, after claiming a winning draw at home to mid-table Wallington.

Asked to bat, they began well with a 126 opening partnership between Jason Drewett (80) and Jason Kyte (45), before the latter was stumped. Liam Powell also bagged 37 (3 fours, 2 sixes) in a grand total of 232-6 dec off 45.5 overs.

In reply, club captain Richard Feist’s side had the visitors nine wickets down for 199 at the end of the 50 allotted overs, having made a brilliant start was Dean Ogles was out for a duck in the second over with the score on two. Chat Ranawaka was the bowled, who ended with 3-46 off 14. James Lowe returned 2-39 off seven.

The third XI, invited to bat at The Ring by visitors Chessington, were all out in the 26^th over for 108, Gus Locke (20) and opener Ben Carter (21) top scoring.

No matter, fixtures secretary Bobby Sharp took 5-16 off 11.2 overs and Jon Coleman 3-30 off seven including having both openers caught (one caught and bowled). Locke took 2-16 off four as Merstham took victory in 22.2 overs. The 3rds remain third in their division, 24 points off the lead.

The fourths “slipped” to second place in their division, losing at then bottom club Beddington, who invited them to bat.

Kashif Noon (29) and Tony Rickards (21) opened, with youngster Hamza Ali (34) putting in another fine performance. Recent recruit Mohsin Bhukari struck 43 while Rod Wood was 13 not out as Merstham finished on 167, which looked a low score to defend.

In reply, Scott Dance at No 3 gave Merstham the run around with only Ali (1-33 off 6) and flu victim Bharat Sahani, the fifth bowler, taking wickets (2-27 off 7) as the hosts rattled off the runs in 28 overs.

Sunday was a washout.