Warlingham were in with a chance of winning this 50 over-a-side match at Cranleigh after a season’s best opening stand of 104 between a new pairing of Dan Chrystie and Monish Patel. Chrystie was the dominant partner and reached his 50 from 61 balls while Monish was more cautious in achieving his highest 1st XI score of 29. When Daniel Chant broke the partnership, 161 were needed with 21 overs to go – a difficult task but by no means impossible on a good pitch and short boundary on one side. However, Chrystie was soon to depart for 69 – also his best 1st XI score – and the new batsmen could not maintain the challenge and managed only 19 runs came from the next 10 overs against Chant and the youthful Jack Scriven. Even so, after a belated acceleration which stretched the stand between Rowen Dayal and Shane Patel to 55, Warlingham found themselves only 1 run behind Cranleigh’s score at 41 overs. But whereas Cranleigh capitalised on the final overs and made a further 94 in the last 9, the visitors lost a succession of wicket, including three to Ajaz Patel, and ended their 50 overs on 59 runs adrift with 8 wickets down.
Cranleigh’s imposing total of 271-4 was based on Ajantha Weerappuli’s 63 and a 95 run unbroken stand between Ajaz Patel who was unbeaten on 91 and Harry Thomas who reached a 26 ball 50 by hitting the last ball of the innings for 6. A high score had looked likely as, after electing to field, the visitor’s attack bowled too many loose balls. Mahesh Amin retrieved the situation in the middle of the innings with a great 10 over spell of 1-24, but once his allotment was over, Cranleigh’s onslaught on the other bowlers ensured them the bonus-point win and left Warlingham rooted at the foot of the table with a second successive relegation looming.
Cranleigh 271-4, 50 overs. Warlingham 212-8, 50 overs.
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