Merstham’s first team took a dramatic victory on Saturday at Frimley, having scored just 161 before bowling out their hosts for just 65 in their Fuller's League Premier Division encounter.

“Last week we scored 290 and it was our batsman who won the game and this week after we’d batted I told my team it was our bowlers’ turn to show up,” mused captain Nav Saeed.

“I thought we were 30 runs short and I gave the team a kick up the backside at tea. I said if we are going to aim to win the league we’re going to have to win games like this.”

Having won the toss and decided to bat, Merstham made starts but nobody went on to score big. Opener Joe Shinners scored 30, with middle order men Arsalan Abass (27) and Ed Dawson (36) at number seven contributing well, but the visitors only lasted 42 overs.

“Ed Dawson pushed us on from about 120,” said Saeed. “It looked like a good track, but it proved a bit variable in terms of bounce and pace.”

After Suliman Younis took plenty of “stick” while batting, he came out fired up to open Merstham’s reply with the ball.

Younis’ four wickets came in three consecutive overs. He conceded just 13 runs in seven overs, bowling three maidens including a wicket maiden and was denied a hat-trick by stubborn defence. He bowled with pace, bounce and aggression to take man of the match.

Noman Javed (1-15 off seven) had the Frimley captain and opening batsman David Carroll caught by Saeed at slip - a “key wicket”, indicated the skipper. “We knew he was a key player. It was a lovely away swinger and he got an outside edge.”

Imran Khan took 2-10 off 7.1 overs and Damien Barnett 3-13 including a wicket from his first ball, as Merstham wrapped up victory in the 29th over.

The second team dismissed Deando Ruxley for 161 at Quality Street, Safyan Aslam taking 2-22 off his 10 overs with two maidens. Imran Aslam, Ameer Pasha and Manish Patel (off 1.4 overs) also took two wickets each.

Unfortunately their run chase did not start well, with three wickets lost for a total of 22 runs as Touseef Afzaal ripped through Merstham’s openers.

Patel top scored with 46, batting four, but the only other players to score double figures were Richard Feist (run out on 12 with the score on 52, trying to push the runs) and Ben Hatton (14) caught behind off Afzaal.

When Patel finally fell to leave the score 105-9, Merstham looked doomed and only scored nine more runs as they managed 114 in just 31 overs.

The thirds returned to the Ring on Saturday to face Trinity Mid Whitgiftians CC. Following victories on the opening three weekends the team were full of confidence, and eager to continue their winning ways.  

Merstham lost the toss, but with recent performances with the ball the Merstham bowlers were delighted when they were given the opportunity to tear into the Mid Whitgiftians top order. Chris Clayson (7 overs, 3-10) and Zeeshan Murtaza (9 overs, 2-21) took the new cherry, and between them they caused havoc in the opening ten overs.  The 3rd XI had been fearful that star bowler James Lowe’s promotion to the 2nd XI would leave them short in this department, but they needn’t have worried. Clayson displayed great control, whilst Murtaza again bowled with pace and aggression. Between them they reduced Mid Whitgiftian to 11-5, and this included a stunning hat-trick from Clayson.  

From this position, the team were expecting another quick game similar to last week, but to their credit the Mid Whitgifitans batsmen dug in and built an excellent partnership, putting on 115 for the sixth wicket. From 17-5 they managed to claw their way back to a more respectable 160 all out. Whilst there were some very good individual performances from Jon Coleman (9 overs, 3-14) and Ben Carter (8 overs, 2-18), the Merstham boys were ruing the missed opportunity, and the possibility of another straightforward run chase was now gone.

Merstham managed to get off to another steady start to their innings. The top order were watchful in reasonably difficult conditions, and managed to keep well in control of the required run rate, ever aware that it would not be the easiest pitch to chase on should the run rate creep up too high.  

Laurie Nicholson (29) was the first to fall with the score on 39. Struan Clark (11) and Ben Baker (20) both fell after good starts and Az Ashraf (39) provided an entertaining innings on his first game back this season. At 97-3 Merstham looked well in control; however what followed was a complete capitulation which ended with Merstham being bowled out for 115. A very disappointing day for the 3rd XI after such a promising start to the season, however with league high fliers Battersea next week providing a perfect opportunity for redemption they will be looking to bounce back with a vengeance.  

Man of the Match – Chris Clayson for his hat-trick.

The fourth team inserted Trinity Mid-Whitgiftians on a good batting track at Lime Meadow Avenue, a risky decision which looked a good one after 17 overs when the hosts only had 40 runs on the board.

The seven maidens bowled by Merstham’s first four bowlers all came before drinks.

New recruit Gopa Nair went for just 22 off his first five overs, while Andy Pearce, in his second game back for Merstham after several years nurturing other commitments, conceded just seven runs in his four overs before a pulled muscle required lighter duties.

Omer Shuja (1-26 off 8, 3 maidens) bowled with his usual tenacity across two spells, while the only early wicket came courtesy of a run out as tight and lively fielding early on paid off.

Trinity edged up the run rate to 75 off 25 overs, then seemed to race through the next 100 runs, courtesy largely of teenager Lagerberg’s outstanding 105 not out, knocked mostly in partnership with A Khan.

For all their tight initially bowling and fielding, Merstham just couldn’t take wickets, only managing three (plus another batsman retiring hurt) as a few misfields resulted in conceding a total of 215 runs.

Hamza Ali again bowled well (0-27 off 8, 2 maidens) and retired teacher Mike ‘the doosra’ Wadsley was among those used to mix up the bowling middle order to try to buy a wicket.

The fourth team have rarely achieved 200 in the past four years but, with a strong-looking batting line-up, were going to give the run chase their best shot.

An initial flourish and 12 - including some extras - off the first two overs was above the required run rate of just under 5 an over. Bharat Sahani, stepping back, felt unlucky to be lbw when the ball struck him on the thigh pad, being the first wicket to go leaving the score 29-1.

John Young enjoyed  himself at No 3, before being the second wicket to go on 55, while opener Kashif Noon’s 34 helped push the score to 98 before being bowled, having struck 5 fours and a six.

With wickets in hand, youngster Ali (23), in-form Will Prior (the star of the win over Dorking) with 21 and Omer Shuja, who finished 21 not out, gave it everything in pursuit of victory as wickets and overs fell. Skipper Ian Lamont (4) managed to hole out with a lusty blow when the Trinity skipper juggled the ball three times before catching it. Sometimes luck is against you.

Wicketkeeper Rob Wood also struck a useful 15, helping to secure a second bonus point with Shuja and hobbling Pearce finishing as the unbeaten duo as the team reached 191-8.