EDITOR'S CHOICE NEWS Green Baby opening store Charity's nearly new sale Pupils thrilled by Newton's return GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Gatwick Express unveils Christmas timetable 2 Many chances but no goals 3 Risk pays off 4 Car fire damages house 5 Boy rescued from ledge 6 Cadets take county trophy 7 Horley remembers the fallen 8 Ambulance bosses to get tough on attacks 9 Hockey scores 10 Hockey scores Today | 7 Days 1 Superbug task force set up

Surrey 2nd 170 all out

Reigate Priory 132 all out

WITH the sun beaming down on the Priory the Llamas knew that the cricket season had at last arrived.

However, the unexpected sunshine had not awoken all of the first team regulars from their winter hibernation and the Priory were forced to field a mixed ability side full of both young promise and seasoned campaigners.

Surrey II, already struggling with injuries this season, were forced to further weaken the Priory team by insisting that both Chris Murtagh and Neil Saker - both contracted to the county and Reigate 1st regulars, played for their employer.

Winning the toss Reigate inserted the visitors, who lost a guilt-racked Murtagh, bowled by a Pope yorker to the second ball of the game. Pope then proceeded to bowl four consecutive maidens before trapping Schofield LBW.

Hewett lacking his usual metronomic rhythm struggled to find his consistent line. However, despite this he too chipped in with a couple of wickets and soon the visitors were struggling at 28-4.

Saker was much less affected by his "turncoat" status and doggedly ground out 34 before being removed by Gibson. Rejuvenated by a six-month sabbatical spent working with alpaca farmers in the foothills of the Andes, Gibson settled on a consistent line and length that showed he has the potential to be a first team regular.

With off-spinner King and then Hume tying up the other end the Surrey innings struggled to find any fluency. A brief spell of attacking play by Shahid helped rally the total, but posting only 170 before Hewett claimed the final, and his fifth wicket of the innings, in the final over game gave the home side hope of victory.

The Surrey attack was formidable. The experienced Saker and the young raw pace of Meaker made the going tough for the Reigate openers.

Richards went cheaply and just when it looked like Bennett was finding his feet and seen off the opening attack he was adjudged caught behind to the spin of Schofield. Simon King however looked in good touch and despite Gale batting very slowly for nought, his removal and the entrance of Hewett saw the home team begin to chase down the visitors score.

A false shot by King and a sudden rush of blood to the head of Hewett, who ran past a sharply turning off-break, swung things back in favour of the Surrey boys. A dashing 37 by Zic Ullah gave the Llamas brief hope of an unlikely victory, but the tail gave way far too easily and the visitors were easy winners with 38 runs to spare.

10:56am Tuesday 29th April 2008

Print

Email this