Surrey Championship

Division Five

Chertsey 163-9

Stoke D'Abernon 145

WITH Surrey Championship status assured for 2010 Stoke did little to suggest they hadn't taken their foot of the pedal and were duly turned over by already relegated Chertsey.

Stoke made early inroads when Cooper cut Hiken Shah to Will Gudgeon at slip, then Tim Handel continued his good form with the ball, forcing Bussey to slash to Jack Raimondo at backward point.

Byrne and Burton added 54 for the third wicket, the scoring rate kept in check by Ian Hopton who bowled his 10 overs for just 21 runs.

The returning Handel removed Burton, who had occupied the crease for 22 overs for 19, then Howe - who went through all the variations to keep the batsmen guessing - took a deserved wicket when Kusiak was bowled for five.

Byrne had completed a patient 50 before falling to a great one-handed grab by Lander in the covers off Shah, then Ralph Coleman picked up two wickets he barely deserved when Frith was bowled trying to run the ball to third man and Ford chipped a slower ball to Lander.

Handel and Shah bowled the remaining overs and collected a further wicket each to finish with 3-35 and 3-31 respectively from their 10 over spells.

Chertsey had got their total up to 163-9, still a below par total according to the home groundsman.

Nevertheless, runs on the board need to be chased down, and Stoke lost both openers with the total on 13 when Shah and Gavin Gresse both fell leg before to new ball bowlers Burton and Ogle.

Handel got the scoreboard moving with three fours and a six, but these would be his only scoring shots as he edged Ogle to Redmond behind the timbers. A stunning catch on the edge of the 30-yard circle accounted for Raimondo and Stoke had work to do with the scoreboard showing 62-4.

Gudgeon invested time playing himself in, and in partnership with Will Patrick moved the total to 90 before off-spinner Cooper was introduced into the attack to devastating effect.

Patrick and Lander were bowled for 10 and six respectively, Gudgeon edged to Redmond for a fine 34, Andy Page was held at short leg, then Howe was bowled second ball offering no shot.

Cooper had taken 5-4 in 25 balls and Stoke were reeling on 113-9.

Watching the chaos from the non-striker's end was Hopton who went on the attack with last man Coleman keeping the ball out at the other. The pair ensured a nervy finish as they added 32 for the last wicket.

Hopton hit four fours and two sixes in his brave knock of 33, but fell to a catch in the deep by Byrne off the returning Burton to give the home side a rare victory by 18 runs.

Stoke must put in an improved performance next week at the Rec against promotion-chasing Staines & Laleham who gave notice of their intentions by making short work of Dorking.