Surrey Championship 1st XI

Division Five

Croydon MO 119

Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians 120-4

Following the previous week's capitulation to Staines, Chipstead put themselves back on track - and on top of Division Five - with a convincing six wicket victory.

Like the trains that race by the CMOs' Wallington HQ every 10 minutes, Chipstead started at full steam, winning the toss and handing the new ball to Australian Test express Shaun Tait.

Abid Khan was first to fall beneath the wheels, his middle stump knocked back by Tait's fifth delivery. Presented with Tait's pace, fellow opener Ejaz Hussein adopted the policy "if you're going to flash, flash hard" but soon perished to a thick edge to keeper Ryan Boondock.

There was little respite at the other end, Kamran Shah chipping seamer Elliott Noble to extra cover and Asad Butt planting his pads in the way of a ball destined for stumpsville.

At 27-4 the home side were heading for disaster, but Eshan Jaffrey and Nasir Suliman led the salvage job with a partnership of 67 until Leigh Padfield removed the latter for 32, opening the floodgates for left-arm spinner Richard Brewster.

After finding as much success through the third man as author Graham Greene - particularly while facing the unluckier Tait brother, Jarrod - Jaffrey finally fell one short of his 50, offering a simple return catch to the big man.

There was to be one more wicket for the test-playing Tait, bringing his tally to 3-21 - a performance of huge interest to the assembled gaggle of roving, interview-hungry Antipodean reporters.

But in wrapping up the innings for 119, Brewster's 4-4 from five overs were undoubtedly the more impressive figures.

With 65 overs at their disposal, Chipstead had no need to rush, but despite all-rounder Butt offering a stern inspection on a tricky pitch, openers Steve Hirst and Nick Woods were in no mood to sit back and take in the scenery.

The quickfire opening stand of 29 ended when Hirst was adjudged lbw to Shah for 15, but Daryl Hattingh moved in with a brisk 25 before falling in a similar manner.

There were a few jitters in the Chipstead camp when Jarrod Tait was run out going for a not-entirely-necessary second run and former lumberjack Alan Clark had his timbers felled for a second-ball duck.

But with Woods showing his customary northern grit, all it needed was a touch of the old Ben Watson tenacity at six and Chipstead were home and dry.

Thus it came to pass, with Watson (18no) there at the end to see Woods bringing up his 50 with the winning boundary.

With Addiscome losing their 100 per cent record to Thames Ditton, Chipstead now lead the division while rock bottom Croydon must cheat the odds to avoid relegation.