Confident Caterham win again

Fuller's League 1st XI Division Two

Caterham 236

Old Suttonians 151-5

Caterham continued their unbeaten run but were ultimately left frustrated by a tepid Old Suttonians.

Batting first on a good pitch, Caterham soon lost their foundation stone of recent weeks, Eversfield for seven.

This brought the effervescent Sheen to the crease to accompany the stealthy South African Smith. These two, in form batsmen set about the attack with ease, punishing anything on a bad length and occasionally anything on a good length too. Smith soon rattled up 66 before holing out.

Sheen soon followed for a well crafted 58, a little unlucky to be lbw in his final game before undergoing a serious knee operation.

At 120-3, made in good time, the opportunity was there for Cats to set an imposing total.

Some big lower order hitting from March (31), Broyd (16) and Grace (24) helped them achieve just this despite the best efforts of the Old Sut's bowler Dagley who took 8-86.

Finishing on 239, skipper Grace felt that there was no way they could lose the match. He was proven right, however only the winning draw came Cats way.

This was due to a clearly thought out plan by the Old Suts batsmen to not hit the ball off the square and give a masterclass in Geoffrey Boycott forward defensive technique.

Cats used nine bowlers in all in an attempt to inject some life into the game, but the Old Suts continued to stonewall.

Grace took two wickets and March and Weddell one apiece but despite a run out from a Broyd direct hit, Dagley's slow burning 68 helped Old Suttonians reach 151-5 from their allocated 50 overs.

Although the win wasn't secured by Cats, skipper Grace was happy to see the unbeaten run continue and the challenge for promotion is very much alive.