Surrey Championship

Division Three

Wimbledon Park 186

Warlingham 160

BOTTOM of the table Warlingham played host to the new Division Three Champions at Church Lane last Saturday but for the first hour and a half, the casual observer would have thought that the teams' league positions were reversed.

Shailesh Amin torn through the visitors' early batting with his 4-28 in 10 overs to leave them reeling at 39-5 after 14 overs.

Scott Kent, the only top-order batsman to make double figures, repaired the damage somewhat, but he fell to one Nigel Field's three catches when he had made 50 and the score was 83-6 after 27 overs.

Then the champions began to show their strength in depth as John Daniell shared stands of 38 with Dom Fell and 26 with Nicky Ball. Daniell was eventually bowled by Nihal Patel for 52 but his side can be grateful that he helped them reach the respectable score of 186 all out in 49.2 overs. Patel finished with 3-39 in his 10 overs.

Warlingham suffered the early losses of Nigel Field and Alex Pizzey, but the promising Ed Clarke and Dan Chrystie gave their side hope with a stand of 34.

However, they were out within a few balls of each other, Clarke for a well-constructed 37, and the innings faltered.

Andrew McNamee was assisted by Denham Earl to put on 38 for the seventh wicket as he reached 38, but with the end of this partnership, the innings subsided to 160 all out.

Joe Hill was the most successful bowler with 3-20.

It was a much better day for the club's second XI in the Surrey Championship Division Two as they racked up 305-5 before bowling out Sanderstead for 182.

Warlingham improved their chances of escaping relegation with this emphatic 123-run win over fellow strugglers Sanderstead.

Nishan Naidoo reversed his poor form of recent weeks to make his first league century, and with Shane Patel also reaching this milestone, Warlingham amassed 305-5 in 50 overs.

Although Ashan fought well for his team with an unbeaten 118, Sanderstead could not compete with the Warlingham score and were all out for 182.