Merstham into top two: weekend round-up

Merstham 156

Roehampton 113

Shakir Khan and Damien Barnett were the architects of Merstham’s victory over Reohampton which pushed them into the top two of the Fuller’s Brewery Surrey County League Premier Division.

Victory at Quality Street on Saturday came with just nine balls to spare as the visitors tried to hold out for a draw.

The hosts, who chose to bat, started positively, Arsalan Abass scoring 35 as they fought their way to 62-1, but then several wickets fell before a rain break (reducing the match by eight overs) and an early tea.

Khan, in his first match for the first team this season, struck what proved to be an extremely useful 34 in the middle order and Barnett and Suliman Younis both mustered 15 in a total of 156 as Merstham used all but five balls of their reduced 46 overs.

In reply, Younis took three wickets, two in his second spell, as Roehampton were all out for 113, while the star with the ball was Barnett who returned figures of 5-51 from 14 straight overs.

The visiting team’s opener Nick Freeborn scored 21 before being removed by Barnett and his total was only bettered by No 5 Prakash Joshi’s 24 not out. Chirag Patel (16) tried saving the draw before becoming another of Barnett’s victims.

Noman Javed took another of the wickets (1-10 off 6) while Abass claimed a run out as the visitors were out in 40.3 overs.

“It was a brilliant win and one that was really needed,” said captain Naveed Saeed. “It was a difficult wicket to bat on and one of their bowlers just bowled straight and we couldn’t do anything with it.

“Shakir batted so well. He batted for about half the innings, kept blocking when he need to and took singles and his 34 was really valuable - a great knock. It was his first game for the firsts this season but when players have stepped up from the seconds they’ve done well because they’ve had first team experience.

“He and Damien were the two men of the match. Damien came on first change bowlers and bowled the right line and length so I kept him on, and then Suli came back on and took a couple of late wickets which were crucial.

“We were never going to lose the game, but when they batted they shut up shop so it was up to us to attack and take the wickets.”

Merstham are now second and made ground on leaders Merrow, whose match was abandoned.

The second team are now top of the Surrey Championship Second XI Division Five after an 87-run win over Old Hamptonians.

Visitors Merstham lost the toss and were asked to bat. They lost four early wickets but recovered from 32-4 to 103 for the next wicket, Marvin Beckford notching 36 as did captain Richard Feist. They were eventually all out for 143 after 48.4 overs.

The third team’s game with Wallington was abandoned after a shower which made the pitch unplayable, while the fourth team also had to take four points when Merton Council called off their game on Friday, against Wimbledon Lakeside on a council pitch.