Four new players made their debuts for Merstham's first team, but it was one of last year’s stars who played a key role as they won their opening Fuller’s Brewery Surrey County League Premier Division fixture of the season, giving captain Naveed Saeed a launchpad for a third consecutive promotion.

Noman Javed top scored with 96 and also took 2-22 to earn man of the match as the Magics took victory at Quality Street on Saturday, as the hosts struck 234-9 off 45 overs and bowled out Ripley for 164 in 37.1 overs.

After Merstham chose to bat, they lost four early wickets, but set an eventual total of 234-9 thanks to Javed’s key partnership with middle or batsmen.

He built solid partnerships with league debutants Sunny Bowry (who scored 36) and Damien Barnett (23), as well as long-term Merstham player Ed Dawson (37), before being caught by Ripley’s wicketkeeper batsman Jon Primmett off Zia Azeem (2-28).

In reply, the visitors were all out in the 38th over for 164, with another Merstham debutant Gurpal Singh taking 2-51, Barnett 3-30 and opener Suliman Younis, who bowled with hostile pace and took 3-23.

With Ed Dawson unfit to keep wicket, second choice Andy Rivers took the gloves, but suffered a blow to his mouth. Captain Saeed stepped up behind the wicket and took two catches and claimed two stumpings, including opener Shakeel Khan who top scored with 52. The bowler was right arm leg spinner Singh, recruited from Purley along with Bowry.

Saeed was delighted with how the new players, including Barnett from Horley, settled in.

“Damien made an all-round contribution. He can bat in the middle order, he can bowl and he’s a great fielder.

“Noman was man of the match. He batted really well and opened the bowling too and took wickets.

“It was a great performance in which everyone contributed. All XI players did something in the game.”

Assessing the season ahead, after two straight title wins and promotions, he said: “We can definitely compete in this division. The new guys have slotted in and the changes in personnel won’t change the way we play. We’ve lost a couple of people, but we’ve replaced them with people who can play and do just as well.”

On Sunday, the first team couldn’t make it a winning double in the league cup, losing at Horley who set a target of 175.

“We bowled really well,” said Saeed. “Damien took four wickets and Sully two. We did really well to restrict them on a great batting track and 175 should have been gettable, but we only scored 130. We might have been tired from the previous day, but that’s no excuse.”

The Magics are away to Lingfield on Saturday.

In further league action on Saturday the second team, promoted into the Travelbag Surrey Championship Division Five, fell short in their run chase at Staines & Laleham, having lost the toss and been asked to field.

Staines struck 215 in 50 overs.  For Merstham, Safyan Aslam took 3-38 and Manish Patel 3-47, Imran Aslam bagging 2-28.

In reply, having been 80-5, Merstham were travelling well towards their total, on 160, when Manish Patel was given out lbw (one of four players to be dismissed in this fashion). His 50 turned out to be the top score and he became the first of a hat-trick of wickets for Majik Patel (3-15). Neil Maplesden went on to strike 44 but Merstham fell short, dismissed for 188 from 42.2 overs.

The third team won the toss and chose to bat at Chipstead, Coulsdon and Walcountians, amassing 263-5 in their 45 overs, with Laurie Nicholson scoring 140 and Will Preston 65.

Chipstead only managed 119 all out in 24.4 overs in reply, Zeeshan Murtaza (2-13), Liam Powell (2-9) and Ben Carter (3-19) doing the main damage with the ball.

The fourth team received a walkover after Oxted, unable to raise a team, pulled out on Friday night. Instead, they enjoyed a pairs game between themselves at The Ring, but won’t be giving any secrets away ahead of their belatedly start to their league season at Dorking next Saturday.

On Sunday (pictured), the second team lost to Sunbury. The hosts were all out after 13 overs for 49 and the visitors chased the total without loss. After tea, the two teams played each other again, bowling 15 overs each.