Firsts clinch dramatic win: Saturday results round-up

Merstham first XI were eager to get back to winning ways after last week’s dismal display away at Kempton and with The Magics sitting just one place above the relegation zone in Surrey Championship Division Five, a win on their travels to Weybridge Vandals on Saturday was imperative to get their season back on track.

Despite losing the toss in what looked to be bowler friendly overcast conditions, Merstham were confident of posting a competitive total to allow the best chance of bowling out the Weybridge side.

Ed Dawson (60) and James Coggins (0) opened up, and the early loss of Coggins bought skipper Laurie Nicholson to the crease at 8-1. Dawson continued his great start to the season, playing in his usual attacking manner, and Nicholson managed to accumulate 45.

The pair got Merstham off to a solid start, and even with the aggressive Dawson departing lbw to the impressive Gary Foreman (4-50) Simon Rivers (57) managed to keep the runs flowing. Rivers was at his flamboyant best, his full array of shots allowing him to score all around the wicket. This culminated with him taking 27 runs off one Navin Jinasena over.

Nicholson continued to play second fiddle, but by the time he had departed Merstham had put on 84 runs for the third wicket, and with the score on 172-3 with the potential of 20 further overs, The Magics looked set for a high total.

The incoming middle order did well to continue the momentum of the innings. Selfless cameos from Ben Baker (18), Robin Hardman (20), and the impressive Will Preston (27 not out) all contributed to the final total of 257 all out from 47.4 overs. A job well done from the Merstham batting line up, with contributions throughout the order, especially considering the cloud cover and damp conditions.

Despite the efforts with the bat, attentions soon turned to the pursuit of the 10 wickets which would be required to secure the win, rather than a draw in this timed cricket phase of the season. Merstham were confident that their bowling line up was well equipped to deliver, but the grey clouds above looked ominous, and there was uncertainty as to whether they would get the chance to bowl their full 52 over allocation.

Opening pairing Asim Jaffry (13 overs 4-29) and Lithon Tarofder (11.5 3-32) bowled accurately and with plenty of movement, and after a very tight first 10 overs the prospect of Weybridge chasing down the total appeared increasingly unlikely, although the Weybridge batsman remained dogged in defence in their attempt to prevent Merstham taking the 24 points available for the win.

Spinners Mohsin Ali (11 overs 1-26) and Humayon Nasir (9 overs 28-1), as well as medium pacer Coggins (2 overs 1-7), managed to take regular wickets. These were in no small part due to two outstanding pieces of fielding. Firstly Robin Hardman took a stunning one-handed reaction catch at short extra cover, quickly followed by a very sharp legside stumping by wicket keeper Dawson. Both efforts provided wickets from nowhere, and were pivotal moments in the game.

With the weather worsening Jaffry and Tarofder returned. The light drizzle developed in to a heavier shower, and play had to be suspended with two wickets remaining. Merstham were anxious that all they would be leaving with was a draw, despite dominating with both bat and ball. The relief therefore when the weather improved was palpable, and The Magics were presented with a 6.1 over window with which to try and remove the stubborn Weybridge rear guard.

In the end it only required six balls, with the mercurial Tarofder taking two wickets in two balls to wrap up the victory by 127 runs with 5.1 overs to spare to the delight of his team-mates. An important victory distances the Magics from the bottom two, and with three wins from their opening six games they can now focus on looking up the table rather than down.

Meanwhile back at Quality Street, Merstham seconds asked visitors Stoke D'Abernon to bat. Bobby Sharp (2-30) didn't need asking twice to succeed with the ball, having one opener caught with Stoke scoring just a run, then having the other opener dismissed in the same way - caught - with just 14 runs on the board.

It took a touch longer for Safyan Aslam (1-35) and Asim Ashraf (3-39) to dismiss the next pair with the score on 56 and 62 but Sharp got himself on the catching act for the fifth wicket, off Imran Aslam (3-30) as the visitors found themselves five down for 109. Nine of the dismissals were via catches, Sharp taking another, while George Chellis snaffled three, Ali Pervaiz two and Sunny Bowry one. Ben Carter's six overs also reaped a wicket, as Stoke were all out for 177 in the 51st over.

Nav Saeed set about the run chase with a seasoned innings of 42, including five fours, but extras was next top scorer with 26 as a succession of others got into double figures then sent back to the pavilion in various ways, as Merstham only managed 141-8 in 56 overs to secure a losing draw. Dan Gluckman proved a particularly nagging opponent, with 4-31 in a 14 over session, including accounting for Saeed, bowled.

Poor fielding was reported to have let down the third team, who travelled to Dulwich fours. However, that wasn't their only problem as they lost by 113 runs.

The hosts were asked to bat by Merstham who won the too and, having tried a variety of bowlers, skipper James Lowe proved most economical with 1-21 off nine overs, two maidens. Zeeshan Murtaza bowled well (1-31 off nine), and six bowlers took a wicket each, Callum Letts, Asfar Khan, Ahmed Warriach and David Grant the others.

Sadly a target of 210 to win proved all too much by a long chalk. The visitors were dismissed in the 24th over for 96, with only openers Jason Kyte (11), Khan (13) and Harrish Joseph (23) stretching into double figures. Oliver Tobin and Lawrence Taylor did much of the damage in the nine over opening spells.

The fourth team won on Friday lunchtime when visitors Dorking withdrew.