Surrey Championship Division 5
Stoke D’Abernon 196 all out (52.5 overs)
Dorking 175 all out (39.4 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon won by 21 runs
An overdue, most timely, but above all spirited performance from Stoke’s 1st XI as they defeated promotion-chasing Dorking at the Rec.
Overnight rain placed huge important on the toss. So far this season all the crucial ones have been lost, and the trend continued.
However Nick Lo and Tim Handel; then Handel and Will Gudgeon, negotiated the opening overs, adding 61 runs by the start of the 20th over. Three quick wickets, including Handel for 33, swung the momentum; but it was regained by James Whitmarsh and Will Patrick who both hit 22; low sounding scores, but good runs in the context of the match and the conditions.
Jack Raimondo chipped in with another 18 runs; but his, and Patrick’s departure with the scoreboard reading 142 for 8 meant lower order runs were needed.
Dan Douthwaite fell cheaply, (147 for 9), but a tenth wicket stand of 49 between Matt Gottschalk, who clubbed 41 with three fours and five sixes, and Alex Bond who gave great support; boosted the total to 196. For the visitors, Chadwick took his second career six-for against Stoke; bowling unchanged from one end to return figures of 26.5-10-65-6.
196 was thought to be a competitive total if the bowling effort could back up the hard work done by the Stoke batting order.
However the visitors went on the attack to maintain their promotion aspirations. Lee and Rollins added 60 for the first wicket, forcing the introduction of spin after just seven overs. James Lander took the first two wickets to fall, trapping Rollins leg before, then taking a return catch to account for Chave for 21. 90 for 2.
Lee continued the chase and hit 74 of the first 107 scored before he became the first of two quick run outs. Gudgeon accounted for Lee, then Will Patrick effected the run out of Thurgood.
Lander continued to find the surface to his liking and removed dangerman Lewis for just 6, (132 for 5); but Kelsey edged the visitors nearer the winning post.
However he struggled to find partners to stay with him, and as they fell for a succession of single figure scores; Lander and Douthwaite took a wicket each, then Bond effected the run out of Costello to put Stoke were back in the driving seat.
When Kelsey hit Lander to Gottschalk for 36, 33 more runs were needed with just two wickets left. Douthwaite claimed one of them to finish with excellent figures of 7-2-8-2; and when Whitmarsh held a catch off Lander to close the reply on 175, (Lander registering career best figures of 15.4-1-63-5 in the process), this was the cue for mass celebration.
The agonising four run defeat to the same opposition on the opening day of the season now seems a long time ago, and results elsewhere now mean Stoke can look forward, rather than over their shoulders. Next up, another mission to reverse an early season defeat as Stoke host Merrow at the Rec.
Scorecard Link : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11456119