Former pro Neil Turk wipes Normandy away

Wimbledon won again this weekend to lead the Ryman Surrey Championship Premier Division by twelve points – with affairs at the bottom of the table now getting very congested indeed.

The leaders’ victory over Normandy ensured they maintained their position of strength after nearest challengers Sunbury also won against Banstead. Elsewhere, Guildford moved up to third with victory over Reigate Priory, bottom side Ashtead had the better of a draw with Weybridge and Cheam won a good victory over Sutton.

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Normandy CC (160 all out) lost to Wimbledon CC (163/5) by five wickets

Normandy won the toss and chose to bat against Wimbledon at the Lower Ground, putting on 25 for the opening wicket but then crashing to 56/5 as visiting skipper Neil Turk took four of the first five wickets to fall.

James Regan (35) and Neal Prowse (45*) recovered the total to 94 before Regan was caught behind by Augustus Kennedy off the bowling of Martin Kain. Although Prowse batted well with the tail, he received little support and, after Turk returned to dismiss Chris Hampton and complete his fifer, the hosts ended on 160 all out.

Despite losing opener Steven Hobson (13) early, Wimbledon never looked troubled in their chase. Graham Grace (41) and Gerry Penford (56) combined well early on and despite Turk (0) not backing up his bowling, Sebastian Franke-Matthecka (23) and Kennedy (13*) helped the leaders to victory at a canter off just 33.5 overs.

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Sunbury CC (139/5) beat Banstead CC (135 all out) by five wickets

Sunbury maintained their pressure at the top of the table after an excellent bowling performance against a powerful Banstead side.

Adam Stanier made the first breakthroughs for the hosts, dismissing Surrey openers Rory Burns (14) and Matthew Spriegel (28) before the visitors broke 50 and captain Jak Martin (6) shortly afterwards.

Sam Woodward (1) and Daniel Sutton (0) went to Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones before Muhammad Jaffer (32) and Richard Bedbrook (28) added respectability to the total. The final three wickets of Dan Gale (6), Nick Woodward (0) and Freddie van den Bergh (0) fell with the score on 135, leaving Sunbury chasing just 136 to win.

Despite losing John Maunders (4) early, a traditionally powerful start from Paul Stirling (34) and Adam London (59*) saw Sunbury half way there before Andrew Balbirnie (24) anchored the second half of the chase as Sunbury hit their total off just 25.2 overs.

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Guildford CC (128/2) beat Reigate Priory (124 all out) by eight wickets

Guildford moved to the top of a crowded middle section of the table with a big victory over Reigate Priory at Woodbridge Road.

Having won the toss and inserted their visitors, Guildford made an early breakthrough when Jonathan Smith was bowled by Matthew Teale without scoring. Neal Parlane (2) went to Tom Collins soon after and the partnership between captain Chris Murtagh (48) and Neil Saker (28) added 44.

Saker went to Andy Hollingsworth and then wicket keeper Matthew Bennett and James Halton followed without scoring to leave Reigate 62/5. William Hodson (17) joined Murtagh to add 33 before the captain was caught behind off Matthew Teale.

Richard Stevens (16*) hit a few runs lower down the order but the visitors eventually subsided for 124. Pick of the bowlers for Guildford was Teale (4/39).

After losing Tarique Kalam (11), opener Thomas Tremewan (50*) and Andy Hollingsworth (13) moved the score onto 53 before Pemberton Greenish Academy batsmen Harry Stephens (45*) joined Tremewan as Guildford raced to the win off just 24.4 overs.

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Ashtead CC (306/7) had a winning draw with Weybridge CC (184/5)

An extraordinary performance from fifteen year old Dominic Sibley (pictured) was the highlight of a drawn match between bottom side Ashtead and Weybridge.

The teenager, who has played for Surrey Second XI and the Pemberton Greenish Academy so far this term, scored 200 from just 218 balls against a full strength Weybridge attack led by former England and Surrey seamer Jimmy Ormond.

Sibley’s innings headlined the Ashtead total of 306/7 from 65 overs, with other scores from captain John Vaughan-Davies (38) and Stewart Cameron (20).

With only 55 overs available to them, Weybridge opted against chasing the total, instead building a solid defensive effort around opener Anthony Atkinson’s 60 off 109 balls and Ormond’s stolid 18* to see them home to a draw.

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Sutton CC (143 all out) lost to Cheam CC (256 all out) by 113 runs

After winning the toss and bowling at Cheam Road, hosts Sutton made an early breakthrough when Cheam’s Dan Johnson went for 12.

David Houpapa (83) played brilliantly at the other end though, anchoring the innings and forming partnerships with Chris Salmons (31), captain Danny Miller (33) and Paul Harrison, who was 31* when the opener was eventually dismissed by David Sampson.

Harrison continued to make 42 and some tail wagging from Tim Scott (25) helped Cheam to post a very solid 256 all out from 65.4 overs. For Sutton, Sampson was the leading threat, taking the final wicket of Scott to end on an excellent 5/37.

Although 257 seemed gettable, a disciplined bowling performance from Cheam meant that Sutton lost regular wickets and, although three players got over 20, none were able to go on and headline the innings.

Wicket keeper Russell Coombe top scored with 25 before going LBW to Chris Salmons but it was Cheam skipper Danny Miller’s 4/32 that led the way in strangling the hosts and saw them dismissed for just 143.