Asim Jafferi was crowned Merstham first team's player of the year on Saturday at the club's players' awards night.

Captain Laurie Nicholson said it was a close run thing, especially up against Noman Javed who had claimed the award for the past two years. He also commended others for their contributions including Ben Baker, Ed Dawson and Andy Rivers, as well as returning faces George Neal and Gus Locke for their huge contributions.   The second team player of the year, chosen by captain Richard Feist, was Mohsin Ali whose 22 wickets helped keep the team in the division.   James Lowe's choice for the third team was Callum Letts, who as an opening bowler had been "unplayable" in spells, while Gopa Nair's choice for the fourth team was wicketkeeper Rob Wood, whose batting tally came second only to the skipper this year.   The Sunday first team player of the year was shared between George Chellis and Fergus Carrick, while Michael Pitcher's choice for the Sunday second team was Tony Rickards for his advice to the first-time captain.   Anthony Maplesden picked up U16s player of the year as his team showed off their shield for winning their league.   Club stalwart Mike Griffin was re-presented with his certificate from the Surrey OSCAs, as runner-up for the Heartbeat of the Club category.   Groundsmen Bernard Feist and Bob McGilvray were thanked for their sterling efforts in a difficult season, weather wise, in the enduring heat and given a meal out with their wives.   Chellis took the runs award, scoring 803 during the season, ahead of next best Nicholson on 766.   Jafferi and Javed shared the most wickets trophy with 37 apiece, one ahead of Imran Aslam, while Dawson topped the catches table with 18.   The only non-wicketkeeper on the list of the top five was Rickards with 10 - but he did pick up another "most of" award, being the unfortunate recipient of the most ducks award with seven.    This year the prize was a big rubber duck. He did play rather a larger number of matches than many, and just so he doesn't feel alone, those presented with smaller ducks for their (ice) baths were Alvin Sathey (6), Sunny Bowry and Matt Greaves (4) and Matt Hill and Ian Lamont (3).   Thank you to Harry David for the photos, and Harry David and Sathey Kumar for the food on the night.  

Come and celebrate the season at this year's annual dinner dance, which will take place on Friday October 5 at Chipstead Golf Club, from 7.30pm to midnight.

One of Merstham two Under 14 sides, the Falcons, are looking forward to their East Surrey Colts League Cup Final - and would love your support on their big day!

It couldn't be easier - the match is scheduled at Quality Street for 10am on Monday, September 3, just a couple of days before school term starts. So, reschedule the shopping for school uniforms to another time and come and support the lads!   We hope as many of you as possible - particularly junior members - will be able to come down and cheer them on against Banstead. This is a great achievement not only for them but for Jack Letts, in his first year as coach.

Report by Clyde Jeavons

How does it feel to score your maiden century at the age of 76? 

With such a low total, Merstham had little answer to Horsley’s 10.4 over spell, with only Merstham top wicket taker with 33 Noman Javed (1-33) taking a wicket, bowling Luke Trimming for a duck at 13-1.

The second team took a giant step to safety in their six-way relegation battle, dismissing Addiscombe for 133 having set them a target of 170. The result lifts them to third from bottom in the scrap to avoid the second relegation spot, 22 points covering those teams. They play second-bottom Sinjungrammarians next.

Surrey Championship Division Five
Merstham 163
Weybridge Vandals 137

AFTER a disappointing loss to Alleyn last weekend that all but ended their chances of promotion this season, Merstham returned to winning ways with a hard-fought victory away to Weybridge Vandals in the Surrey Championship Division Five.

A large crowd made up of supporters from both clubs came together for a memorial match at Banstead last Friday.

  The Twenty20 fixture commemorated 104 years exactly since Banstead 2nd team played their final match before several of their players were called up to the First World War.   On that occasion, they played Redhill, a club which no longer exists. As Merstham now play many matches at The Ring on Earlswood Common, the then home of Redhill where the match was played, Merstham were invited to take part.   Before the game, both teams lined up for a short service to commemorate the men. The names of 14 Banstead cricketers who served and died in the war were read out, along with five from the Merstham and Redhill clubs.   A commemorative booklet called Banstead Cricket Club in the Great War, detailing the home team's servicemen, was available, having been painstakingly produced by James Crouch Banstead History Research Group. A follow-up is intended, featuring further pictures and revelations that were discovered on the night.   Further details of all the men from Banstead can be found on the cricket club's website.   In the 1914 fixtures, Redhill won by 70 runs. In the 2018 match, Banstead won five wickets and the details can be found on PlayCricket.

On another day, 195-9 in 50 overs might have bene enough to defend. Nav Saeed (21), Manish Patel (34), Rob Harris (35) and Jack Letts (36 not out) all got starts in the visitors’ total.

But Merstham could only muster three wickets in reply as Ewell won in the 31^st over, Patel catching one off Imran Khan before Mohsin Ali (2-26 in 10 overs) forced catches to Khan and Richard Feist.

As part of our membership to Surrey County Cricket Club, we have available 30 tickets for the Surrey Stars vs Western Storm Kia Super League (KSL) T20 fixture on Saturday 18th August. Play commences at 7pm at The Oval.

The Surrey Stars squad features Sarah Taylor, Natalie Sciver and Laura Marsh from the victorious England World Cup team of 2017.

Merstham’s four teams took a rare clean sweep of victories on Saturday, all four teams winning for the first time this season.