BY no means a mis-match, but when a side missing three of the division's best batsmen plus another five players who would easily contend for a place in the side, comes up against a full-strength opposition chasing a promotion place, victory would certainly be considered an upset.

Nevertheless, Stoke kept going against a side who fielded a stronger XI than the one defeated by Stoke back in July, eventually falling to a 101 run defeat.

Andy Page won the toss and invited the visitors to bat. B Archer and Mullard played their shots from the off. Archer survived two chances before Tom Gudgeon rattled his stumps with 48 on the scoreboard in the ninth over.

Wickets were always likely to be a premium on one of the best looking strips seen this season at the Rec; and Mullard and No 3 C Colbert batted well beyond the drinks interval.

On his return to the side, Stuart Riley bowled better than his final figures suggested; Ian Hopton showed great control and conceded just 36 runs from his 10 overs, (bowled in one spell), and Ralph Coleman's 3000th career Stoke over was a maiden.

But with wickets in hand the rate duly increased, Staines & Laleham's cause helped by a number of difficult chances not sticking in the hands.

The partnership reached 112 by the end of the 32nd over when James Lander entered the attack and joined a select band of Stoke players to take a wicket with their first ball in 1st XI league cricket.

Colbert, who made a less than fluent 37, chipped Lander to Gavin Gresse at mid-wicket, the dismissal confirmed by visiting umpire David Mason who spent the 1989 season as a Stoke player. David and Stoke umpire Mike Baker oversaw a match played in an excellent spirit.

With the platform set, Mullard continued to attack the change bowling, and left-hander Smith struck the ball cleanly as the pair added 81 in 14 overs.

During this partnership, Mullard completed a chanceless century, then he benefited from a couple of difficult chances to take his personal contribution to 137 with 15 fours and five sixes before finally falling to a good low catch by James Whitmarsh behind the timbers off the returning Riley.

Keeper-batsman Smith completed an even half-century before missing a straight one from Tom Gudgeon, who collected another death wicket with the last ball of the innings when Bolton (20), chipped to Lander at backward point. Gudgeon returned figures of 8-0-62-3.

The innings closed on a formidable 297-5 with H Colbert unbeaten on 15.

Whitmarsh showed good hands behind the stumps - no byes in 50 overs - emulating Will Patrick's feat from the previous week.

So, a run-a-ball from the off required, but the visitors had former Middlesex man Tim Bloomfield running in with the new ball.

In partnership with H Colbert, runs were at a premium and the pressure told when Gresse fell to a stunning catch in the covers off Colbert; then Gudgeon was leg-before to Bloomfield eight balls later.

Jack Raimondo and Whitmarsh fought hard for their runs, and Bloomfield left the attack after bowling his ten overs straight through at a personal cost of just 24 runs.

Mullard replaced Colbert at the railway end and started with four successive maidens to push the asking rate over eight an over.

In one of these overs he accounted for Whitmarsh for 11.

On the arrival of Hopton, Raimondo became more expansive. After a fourth wicket partnership of 52, Hopton, (19), became the first of three victims for slow left-armer Selvanathan.

Late call-up Matt Duffield sadly followed next ball leg-before, leaving Lander to negotiate the hat-trick ball which he duly did.

Raimondo continued to attack the change bowling, and he completed his half-century with a flurry of boundaries off S Archer; but the bowler had his revenge with the total on 110 when he was dismissed him leg-before for 61, (with 12 fours).

The same bowler then accounted for Lander in his next over. This brought Page to the crease for, possibly, his final 1st XI league innings.

Playing positively, he dealt almost exclusively in boundaries. He lost Tom Gudgeon and Riley - the latter finding the fence twice in a comedy cameo that included two failed attempts at the Dilshan shot.

Riley's dismissal to a stumping left the last pair Page and Coleman with 14 overs at their disposal and they opted to try and bat as many of them as possible.

Page continued to attack the bowling and completed a fine half-century; he then hit a further two fours to bring up a 50 partnership.

Enough was enough, and Mullard introduced himself back into the attack, and with his second ball back he castled Coleman to complete victory; a result that leaves promotion in their hands which would be secured with victory over Croydon MO this weekend.

Page walked off to great applause unbeaten on 59, a knock that included 12 fours and a six.

As for Stoke's 1st XI, a dead rubber at Dorking completes their first season in the Surrey Championship.

Surrey Championship 2nd XI Division Five

Oxted & Limpsfield 2nd XI 190

Stoke D'Abernon 161

THIS competition has been a three horse race between Stoke, Dorking and Brook for the last few weeks. Brook's victory over Dorking at the weekend means that Stoke's defeat at Oxted & Limpsfield doesn't really alter things - a win at home to Dorking this weekend will secure the remaining promotion place.

Malcolm Dickson won the toss and the hosts were inserted. Adrian Mills took the early wicket of Dalziel, but Durrany, (51), and No 3 Kourea, (41), gave substance to the home side's total.

Mills, Gary Harkett and Toby Tarrant took two wickets each and there was a wicket each for Josh Carew and Matt Gottschalk.

Malcolm Dickson ran out third highest scorer Singleton for 25, and John Crisp closed the innings on 190 all out with a run out in the final over.

In reply, the top four Stoke batsmen all made double-figures, but no-one reached 30 as Emmins, (5-29), chipped away at the batting order, and Stoke looked in dire trouble at 105-7.

John Crisp clubbed 40 from 24 balls to give them hope, but the tail didn't wag enough and a 29 run defeat was confirmed in the 47th over.

3rd XI Friendly

Sutton 4th XI 244-5

Stoke D'Abernon 133

A STRONG Sutton 4th XI posted an imposing total in 40 overs; Yeats and Patil hitting 139 not out and 66 not out respectively (both career bests), after Richie Parrett, (3-25), Alex Bond, (1-24), and Clive Dolman took five early wickets.

In reply, James Trower, (25) and David Furze, (23), gave the reply a solid start.

Andrew Furze top scored with 30, but his dismissal started a regular fall of wickets and Stoke were shot out for 133 in just 24.2 overs.