Merstham's first team lost a second consecutive match for the first time since last August, while their other three teams all won on Saturday.

Captain Naveed Saeed remains convinced Merstham, who sit fourth in the Fuller’s League Premier Division, can maintain a third title push, but knows his team have to start producing the goods.

Old Tenisonians put them into bat at Archbishop Tenisons Sportsground, and took Andy Rivers’ wicket early, bowled by Bryan Haslam (4-24), on the way to dismissing the visitors for 90.

Arsalan Abass batted positively for 18, but just as Merstham started to motor there was an interruption for rain.

“The pitch changed and we started to lose wickets,” said Saeed. “The 15 minute rain delay made a big difference. Had we scored 40-50 more runs it could have been a different story.”

Damien Barnett, batting eighth, top scored with 21.

Adnan Shan (31) and Steve Cumings (41) were the main contributors for Old Tenisonians chased the total in 31 overs for the loss of four wickets.

“I don’t think the league is much different to the one we were playing in last year, but we’ve had a change of players,” added the skipper, who have had three players depart but recruited others, including Barnett.

“The spirit is great but it’s the application. We think we’re better than we are. We’re just not performing. As soon as we start performing we will be a lot better. It’s a very tight group and we’re not miles away. We’re fourth but only 11 points behind second.”

For the second team, Jason Drewett scored 89 not out as they defeated Horsley and Send at Quality Street to put Merstham into the top two of the Surrey Championship 2nd XI Division 5. 

Imran Aslam took 2-37, Ameer Pasha 3-39 and spinner Gurpal Singh 3-48, with just under a quarter of the team’s overs maidens as Horsley were bowled out for 172 from 47 overs.

Ashar Syed was the only man to fall, leg-before for 29 to Dan Collett, as Merstham chased down the total in 31 overs and put on 84 for the first wicket.

Drewett hit 12 fours and a six in his 120 balls, while Ali Pervaiz, returning after two years, struck 24 alongside him to complete the victory in the 35th over. The visitors used seven bowlers to try to hinder the run chase.

Merstham 3rd XI travelled to Mitcham know that, following a hard fought draw against league leaders Battersea last week, a win was vital to maintain their promotion aspirations in the Surrey Championship East Division for third teams.

With rain forecast, and the clouds overhead looking ominous, captain Mark Robson was delighted to win the toss and put Mitcham in to bat. Merstham were looking to control the game, and central to this would be restricting the opposition’s score should rain affect the run chase.

After some tight bowling at the start from Ben Carter (13 overs, 3-43) and James Lowe (14 overs, 2-39) and some early wickets on a good pitch, a low score looked on the cards.

However a combination of some staunch batting and uncharacteristically poor fielding allowed the Mitcham team to move towards a respectable total.

William Preston (9.5 overs, 4-34) made his long awaited bowling return, and impressed with some accurate and inventive death bowling. He was supported by Ben Baker (10 overs 0-42), and in collaboration with the returning Carter they ensured that Merstham were chasing a very reachable 171 from 45 overs.

Ben Baker (2) and Laurie Nicholson (64) continued their opening partnership, and were greeted by some hostile opening bowling. (Special mention to the Mitcham opening bowler who was fasting and still managed 18 overs effectively back to back.) With rain in the air the captain was looking for an attacking start, and this was affirmed with the promotion of the heavy hitting Ben Snelling and Ben Hatton up the order.

With the wickets of Baker, Ben Hatton (2) and Ben Snelling (4) falling early Merstham needed to consolidate and build some partnerships. Nicholson partnered with Shakir Khan (26), and between them they managed to steady the ship. Once Khan and Nicholson fell Jason Kyte (27) followed suit and provided some solidity to the middle order.

With what seemed like a routine run chase now turning into a nail biter, with overs and wickets running out and the clouds gathering, a close finish seemed inevitable.

The Merstham lower order thankfully managed to see the team home, with some entertaining cameos from Rhys Appleyard (9), William Preston (7) and Carter (15 not out), but coming in at 162-8 it was ultimately down to the captain Robson (5 not out) to secure the victory with a finely guided edge through the slip cordon.

Another good win for Merstham 3rd XI, albeit a bit too close for comfort. Man of the Match - Will Preston, 9.5 overs 4-34

The fourth team doesn’t award a man of the match (yet), but if they did it would probably be the best man of the match ever! Well, they would all get it for a fantastic and committed team performance in securing a remarkably straightforward victory, having bowled out opponents Hampton Wick Royal for 80.

Having put visitors Hampton into bat, Ian Lamont was wondering if he’d made the right decision when his opposition number Alex Bilton, the opening batsman, struck a couple of menacing fours. Bilton had scored 137 a week earlier and 75 in his club’s third team before that.

But Marcus Kyte found the right spot with a ball which cut in quite a distance to remove Bilton’s off stump, to everyone's and particularly Bilton’s surprise, as the batsman had left the ball entirely.

Kyte also claimed the other opener (caught behind by Rob Wood) in his seven overs (2-39) and then took a catch in the slips off Omer Shuja’s tight bowling (2-17 off 8, 3 maidens). The team were proving they could catch, possibly because of some pre-match practice.

Hampton were scoring at a faster rate than Merstham’s previous opponents, but losing wickets, with Shuja’s second claimed leg-before, then his spell also including a remarkable run out by Bharat Sahani. Thrown in from side on, the ball clipped and only just dislodged one bail, with Shuja behind the wicket ready to pounce. This was a ball after tripping up in the outfield and pushing the last ball of the previous over past the boundary, at the end of the previous over.

Both opening bowlers were denied hat-tricks by stubborn Hampton defence.

Australian-bound Sahani was clearly still celebrating his run out success when he did an impression of a skipping kangaroo on his way to securing a mid wicket catch as Hampton wickets continued to tumble.

Kashif Noon and Wood took further catches, after the skipper confused the scorers by bringing on not only Hamza Ali but his brother Hasan at the same time. The youngsters both took two wickets Hamza (2-8 off 3.4) securing the final wicket courtesy of inspired captaincy to put chief catcher Khan Mohammad down at the little known fielding position of Cow Corner and he duly snaffled top scorer Abdul Rehman (36) who had to strike out in the hope of runs.  

Hasan Ali took 2-13 off three overs as the visitors to the Ring were all out in 21.4 overs.

It was agreed to play another 20 overs before tea, which was almost plenty of time, with opener Noon placing seven fours in his 34, putting on 28 with No 4 bat Will Prior (14). S Joshi took four wickets as Merstham’s batsman tried to win the game before tea, which was tactically enforced by Bilton with Merstham five wickets down just a few runs short of victory.

Whether Bilton was praying for the predicted rain, hoping the hosts woudl partake too earnestly of chairman Graeme Attridge’s sumptuous spread, or simply a miracle, the skipper didn’t reveal. But after the obligatory break another wicket fell before Lamont and Wood finished the job in the 25th over, the result pushing the fourths to the heady heights of third in the Surrey Championship Eastern Division.

The bowling was tight, the fielding was committed, the batting was always going to be harder than it might have appeared, chasing a low total. But this was a strong all-round performance.