Horley CC go top after 125-run win at Sanderstead

Horley skipper Regan Derham lost the toss, and his team were asked to bat first on a green and slightly damp track. Opening bat Ben Remfry was accompanied by Ben Stewart this week, and the pair got Horley off to a flyer, putting 50 on the board before Sanderstead took their first wicket at the end of the ninth, Sandeep Kuckreja (2-23) finding his way through Stewart’s defences.

This led to a ten-over period of pressure from the home side, in which they grabbed another couple of Horley wickets. Kuckreja trapped Remfry lbw for 33 at the start of the 15th before skipper Derham was dubiously run out after a direct hit from the third-man boundary.

At 71-3, CP Singh (42) and Ben Davies had to steady the ship and try to halt the momentum Sanderstead were building. Both were looking comfortable at the crease and ticked the scoreboard over, putting on 64 before James Allen (4-63) grabbed the crucial breakthrough, with Singh only able to put a full toss into the hands of the cover fielder.

Horley had 17 overs left to bat with 135 on the board when Luke Smith joined Davies in the middle. Davies had started to take a more aggressive approach, knowing if he could get his side up towards 200, it would feel over par with how the pitch was playing. Unfortunately, Davies fell to Sam Budden for 47 at the end of the 40th over.

Allen was doing all he could for the home side, and claimed three wickets in his next three overs to reduce Horley to 202-8 in the 45th. Smith (50 not out) was standing tall at the other end though, and with Adam Stephenson (18 not out) offering some lower order hitting, Horley posted 246-8 after 50 overs.

Horley knew a strong start with the ball could kill this game early, and that’s exactly what Will Taylor (3-20) gave them. The fast bowler castled the Sanderstead top three with almost identical deliveries, all nipping back through their defences, reducing the home side to 15-3 in the seventh over.

Kuckreja (21) had bowled a fantastic ten-over spell but now had to dig his side out of an early hole. However, Charlie Robins (3-32) wasn’t going to let Sanderstead off the hook, claiming Joshua Silva after a smart catch from skipper Derham, standing up to the stumps. Allen (26) strolled to the crease in the 14th over with only 37 on the board and decided to try to counter-attack to kickstart his team’s innings. He and Kuckreja put on 46 before Stephenson (4-15) came into the attack and picked up Kuckreja with his very first ball, a horrible drag down that Kuckreja could only direct to Taylor at extra cover.

Stephenson soon found his second, as four balls later, Allen tried one big shot too many, picking out Remfry at long on and at 84-6 in the 25th, the writing felt like it was on the wall already. It seemed to be Stephenson’s day, as in his next over Alfie Winter picked out Guy Derham at extra cover, clinging on to the catch at the second time of asking.

Soon, 91-7 became 91-8 as Robins claimed his next victim in the very next over and he wasn’t done there, as he took one more scalp in the 32nd to reduce Sanderstead to 103-9. Sam Budden (14 not out) wasn’t going to let the game end before he played a couple of swashbuckling shots but Stephenson closed it out halfway through the 39th over, having Thomas Skillicorn caught by Stewart to complete a good all-round performance from Horley.

Horley host fourth-placed Reigate Priory 2nd XI next weekend in what promises to be a thriller with both sides being separated in the table by only five points.

While the 1st XI enhanced their bid to win their league title, Horley’s 2nds and 3rds both lost, damaging their chances of success in their leagues.

In Surrey Division Eight East, third-placed Horley 2nd XI entertained fourth-placed Croydon 2nd XI and a 101-run win for Croydon meant Horley dropped two places in the table.

Croydon elected to bat and made a good start, Gurinder Singh racing to 28 off 30 balls before Chris Webber bowled him in the ninth over.

Four overs later Webber (2-34) had his second, diving to take a terrific caught and bowled and Croydon were 48-2.

Abhay Nakhare and Deepak Kumar Muduli continued steadily to 89-2 at drinks after 22 overs and after a short break for rain, Horley picked up their third wicket, an excellent direct-hit runout from side on by Aidan Spalding sending Muduli back to the pavilion for 29.

Nakhare reached 50 with a six in the 29th over but was out in the 31st, well caught behind by Toby Davie off Tom Jowett for 62.

Croydon did the real damage in the last 11 overs of the innings, moving on from 142-4 after 33 overs to 242-6 by the close at 45.

Surya Palaniyappan hit three sixes off a Will Hofmann over and although Spalding (2-24) had him out lbw for 23 off the first ball of his spell, then dismissed Sacin Pol in the same way in the 38th over, Horley were increasingly on the back foot.

Spalding almost held a magnificent catch off Jowett, but just stepped over the boundary and Ritesh Yadav and Bhanu Pratap Dhirdeo were on 60 and 25 not out respectively at the end of the innings.

A total of 242 looked entirely gettable for Horley, but Croydon’s bowlers all found consistent line and length and bowled very well to their field, which meant Horley were never up with the rate.

Openers Henrick Cook and Davie started steadily, which was sensible given that Horley were a bit lighter than usual on the batting front, and they put on 46 before Cook was unluckily run out for 18.

Jowett soon followed, bowled by Jitunu Sahoo and Dan Sired picked out Pol off Yadav to leave Horley struggling at 53-3. Spalding and Davie continued slowly, with potential scoring shots always seeming to go straight to a fielder, and when Spalding was out bowled by Sahoo just before drinks, Horley were 70-4.

Croydon continued to turn the screw, even though Liam Adams came in with a more aggressive intent. Bad balls were few and far between and as Adams and Davie tried to force the pace, Davie was finally bowled for 48 in the 30th over.

Adams succeeded in upping the scoring rate briefly, taking 11 off the 32nd over, but fell in the 33rd, caught and bowled by Sanju Sreekumar for 33 . At 120-6 it was all over bar the shouting and although Alex Field managed to score 12, Horley were all out for 141 from 38.3 overs, with Sreekumar (4-12) picking up three of the last four wickets.

Horley 3rd XI faced Wisborough Green in an important match for the league rankings in Sussex Division10 West.

Horley unfortunately lost the toss and were put in on a very used wicket. Openers Kieran Childs and Rob Rigby started strongly, putting the opposition on the back foot with Childs finding the boundary nicely, putting away bad balls and rotating the strike well. However, a great catch in close was taken by Tarnie Dixon from the bowling of Harry Maggs to dismiss Childs for 18.

Nick Chadwick was next in for Horley and began to put the foot back on the gas. He and Rigby had just started to make a partnership together when Juan Vorster ran out Rigby for 7.

Wisborough began to gain control of the game but Chadwick was still there to put up a fight. Ollie Millard started to find some rhythm but then got caught by Vorster off Philip Maggs. Horley struggled to create partnerships for the remainder of the innings but Abdul Razzaq, Oscar Davies and Chadwick put on great individual efforts in trying to put Horley in a better position with Davies scoring 15, Razzaq 36 and Chadwick getting 63 before being caught by Dixon off the bowling of Mark Brown.

Horley finished their innings with a total of 172 all out. After a good bowling performance from Wisborough Green, Horley knew they needed to deliver with the ball.

Chris Cosham and Razzaq started things off for Horley and whilst they had some chances, things didn’t go Horley’s way.

Eventually Horley found a wicket from Razzaq with a good catch from Chadwick taking Matthew Watts for 16, but Wisborough Green found their feet again and took control of the game. Sachin Kadake took his first wicket for the 3s on his debut, another catch taken by Chadwick dismissing Steve Calder-Smith for 28.

Horley’s youth bowled well but received little reward. Dylan’s Shanks did find a wicket, deservedly taking the skipper Tim Palmer with a catch by Millard, after a great captain’s knock of 64.

However, Wisborough Green knocked of the remainder of the runs and got the victory, which means Horley have slipped to fourth in the table. Horley will play Lancing Manor at home next week, hoping to get their season back on track.