Merstham 141

Alleyn 152-5

A disappointing batting performance and several missed catches left Merstham’s first team ruing missed opportunities against Surrey Championship Division Five top of the table Alleyn in their first timed game of the season.

Put in to bat on what seemed a damp Alleyn wicket, the top order again struggled to provide a platform on what proved to be a difficult surface.

Jason Kyte (1) and Sunny Bowry (6) both fell to the opener Tom Eadon (4-37), with Laurie Nicholson (9) and Noman Javed (15) then succumbing to the off-spinner Chad Balluza (2-24).

Ben Baker (75) came to the crease at 24-3 and managed to effectively counter attack, dispatching the bowlers to all parts. Ably supported by newcomer Nabeel Ahmed (17), Merstham looked as if they may be able to get to a respectable total.

Baker continued to play aggressively, and as the lower order came and went he finally holed out to finish on 75, a great score on this particular pitch. Merstham finished on 141 all out.

While the wicket had offered a lot to the bowlers, Merstham again felt they were at least 40 runs short, especially having been bowled out far short of their maximum allotted overs. However, with a confident bowling attack and the hope of some assistance from the pitch they had a chance.

Seamer Javed again bowled supremely well (13 overs 2-24), and was supported well by Waqas (5 overs 1-21) and Jaffry (11 overs 1-26), with Merstham taking regular wickets to put the opposition under pressure.

In the end a total of five dropped chances prevented the Magics from truly making the game close, and a committed knock from the opposition skipper Eadon gave a lesson to some of the Merstham top order on how to approach batting in such conditions. Alleyns won by five wickets.

Skipper Laurie Nicholson said: “So far this year our batting has been the concern, bar some good individual performances. I feel our bowling attack is easily one of the best in the league, but we need to be making competitive totals consistently to allow them to win us these games.”

The second team lost out in the run chase to Ewell, who scored 214 in 51 overs, fighting back from 17-2. Both early wickets were taken by Joe Rees-Davies, who has just turned 17, whose two spells reaped 4-44 from 11 overs.

It was a long time before Merstham took another, though, eventually removing the other Ewell opener with the score on 110. Imran Aslam (2-33) and Mark Beckord (2-29) also took wickets but Ewell progressed quickly from 150 to their final total.

In reply, Merstham lost their opening pair with the score on 26. Rob Harris was going well with his son Finn before taking a full clock swing attempting a six and was caught behind for 22 with the score 62-3. Finn went on to top score with 30 before becoming another of Pardeep Jassi’s 5-21. Merstham were all out for 118 from 39.2 overs.

Two big scorers were knocked up at The Ring, but the third team came off second best in their match against Trinity.

Most of the batsmen got starts, but only Arham Ali went on to score big, knocking 72 in Merstham’s 208-9. Jawad Riaz supported him well in the late order. Seventh bowler Aarav Ganguli took 7-36.

Unfortunately, it was a case of the hosts then coming up against some experienced batsmen as the team lost by nine wickets. Surya Jaisankar (55) was the only wicket to fall, caught by keeper George Chellis off Riaz (1-29). Phil Mander (78 not out) and Janarthan Paramalingam (45 not out) frustrated Merstham’s seven bowlers.

The fourth team won by default when Trinity pulled out of their scheduled fixture.