Claygate move closer to double success!
Two victories for both Claygate’s 1st and 2nd XI’s have given the Dalmore Avenue based club the opportunity of double success in the Surrey Downs League!
A comprehensive 10-wicket victory for the 1st XI against second place North Holmwood could mean the First Division championship coming to Claygate next weekend and their second successive league title!
On a wet Dalmore Avenue pitch and having lost a low scoring game to Holmwood earlier in the season, Claygate were eager to get even at home . All credit to Fergie who worked overtime to deliver a match-fit pitch on a day when several league games were cancelled due to the bad weather.
Skipper Vikram Prabhakar won the toss and elected to field. Newcomer Nabeel Shah troubled all batsmen with his accurate line and length, and starting with a wicket in his first over, he sliced through the North Holmwood side recording Claygate's season-best figures of 7 for 31 from just 8 overs.
Lance Mayer took two stunning catches behind the stumps and Ross Carmichael latched on to another two at gully. Nuwan Jayasena mopped up the tail with 2 for 0 off 1.4 overs. Holmwood had collapsed to just 45 all out from just 15 overs meaning that play continued straight after the changeover.
Lance Mayer pulled three fours in the third over to dispel fears of any devils in the pitch or late movement in the air and Claygate rapidly achieved their target with all 10 wickets intact.
Claygate now need just 7 points from their last league game at South Nutfield next weekend to win the First Division title.
The 2nd XI also won by 68 runs and now lead Division Three by 17 points. A good result next weekend and Claygate will finish top of the pile here as well!
On Saturday, Shere won the toss and inserted Claygate on a damp wicket under cloudy skies. Claygate battled to 222 all out with Alan Frewer hitting a classy 30 before getting injured and then Joel Watkins (76) and Scott Labacik put on 70 for the 5th wicket. A late flourish from the tail set a good total in the conditions.
Shere lost a wicket first ball when Claygate opened with leg-spin, but the second wicket added 118 and at that stage Shere looked like coasting to victory .However an extraordinary spell saw them lose the rest of their wickets for just 36 runs and finishing on 154 all out. Dillon Woods (5 for 26) and Joel Watkins (3 for 28) were the top wicket takers and rising colt Seb Huff claiming the key wicket of Shere captain Openshaw for 75.
