Two wins for Horley and a career-best knock for Field

The 1st XI entertained Sanderstead at Horley Row and a 30-minute delay to the start of their Surrey Championship Division Four East match, due to the previous night’s rain did not inconvenience Horley, who amassed 261-6 after being put in.

The opening pair made 34 before Ben Remfry (26) was bowled by Sandeep Kuckreja (2-38) and CP Singh (12) was then well caught behind by Liam Smith off Tom Skillicorn (2-53) after a steady start to his innings.

This brought Regan Derham to the crease and Horley’s captain set about the Sanderstead bowlers at almost a run a ball. His partnership of 119 with Sam Remfry, notable for excellent running between the wickets, came to an end when Derham was caught on the boundary by Jake Scarisbrick off Kuckreja for 73 (79 balls, nine fours). Sam Remfry was then run out by Josh McKinnon after a patient and well-crafted 62 off 99 balls. Luke Smith followed almost immediately caught at square leg by Ben Carter-Martina off Skillicorn for one, and Horley were 185-5.

This brought Jon Barnett and Ben Davies together in the middle and they added 48 before Davies (20) was caught in the deep by Matt Harris off the bowling of Gregg McLean (1-73). Barnett went on to make 41 not out off 31 balls while Matt Gainsford was five not out when the innings closed at 261-6 from 50 overs.

The reply started badly for Sanderstead as they were 27-5 after eight overs.

Chris Baumann lasted four deliveries, the first three being wides, before he was brilliantly caught at point by Luke Smith off Will Taylor (3-34).

At the end of the fourth over William Johnson (6) was caught by Gainsford off Guy Derham (3-23) and a wicket fell in each of the next two overs, as Scarisbrick was out for seven, caught at gulley by Adam Stephenson off Taylor, then McKinnon went first ball caught by Ben Remfry off Guy Derham.

From the first ball of the ninth over Carter-Martina was caught by Luke Smith off Taylor. After such an inauspicious start 262 was clearly out of reach.

Sanderstead stopped the fall of wickets for a time with a partnership of 38 between Liam Smith and Gregg Pettifor but Smith (24) fell in the 20th over to a good catch by Ben Remfry offGainsford (2-19). Kuckreja (7) was the next wicket to fall, caught Ben Remfry off Adam Stephenson (1-40).

A further 44 runs were added before Pettifor was bowled by Barnett (1-22) for 34, with the score now at 123-8. McLean was joined by Matt Harris who fell for 12, caught by Taylor off Guy Derham and it was then a question of whether the defiant McLean could hold out with Skillicorn for the remaining seven overs, even though a Horley win was already guaranteed. Ball after ball was defended by McLean but with eight left Gainsford clean bowled him for 40 and Sanderstead were all out for 162.

This was a tremendous victory for Horley, notable for some outstanding fielding, with everything going to hand bar two really vicious caught-and-bowled attempts that didn’t quite stick.

Next up is a third v fourth matchup away to Reigate Priory 2nd XI, who are one place above Horley in the table.

Horley 2nd XI turned up to a very wet and green Croydon wicket, which Horley captain Toby Davie looked to take advantage of after winning the toss by putting Croydon in to bat.

Horley’s opening bowlers started well, looking to use the facilities on offer, with Charlie Robins dismissing both openers in the first five overs. After this, Croydon looked to rebuild in the middle overs through good running, putting Horley fielders under pressure.

However, Horley’s bowlers were economical, picking up regular wickets throughout with Oscar Hofmann, Jordan Robins, Irfaan Baksh, and Danish Mehmood all claiming victims. But Charlie Robins was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 3-29 off nine overs as Croydon made a total of 194 all out, leaving Horley a decent target to chase down.

Horley didn’t start well, with opener George Hyde hitting it ‘too well’ and finding the cover fielder to be removed with the first ball of Horley’s innings.

Croydon kept their bowling tight, removing the other opener, Mehmood a few overs later. Horley’s captain Davie looked to try and rebuild the innings but fell on 21.

Quick wickets fell again for Horley, with the pitch being more active in the game than in the first innings. Aidan Spalding tried to continue what Davie had started, with wickets falling around him, including a not-so-great run out of Baksh, with Spalding being told the famous cricket adage ‘never run on a mis-field’.

Horley's number 11 Oscar Hofmann put in a valiant effort with Spalding for a tenth wicket partnership of 29 before Spalding finally fell for 21 off 66 balls, leaving Horley 101 all out, 93 runs short.

The 2nd XI will look to bounce back to winning ways next Saturday against Merstham 2nd XI, who sit one place above Horley in the Surrey Championship Division Eight East table in fourth.

Horley 3rd XI put two bad batting performances and two defeats behind them, beating Wisborough Green by amassing 231-6, with Field leading the way with his excellent unbeaten 86 off 56 balls.

Horley were put in on a wet pitch and while Henrick Cook fell at the end of the third over, skipper Kieran Childs and Liam Adams eased the home side’s nerves with a second-wicket partnership of 54 before Adams was out for 23 (33 balls, two fours, one six).

Childs followed in the next over for a well-made 36 (three fours, one six), bowled by Monty Palmer 3-38.

Nick Chadwick and Dirk Douglas were also bowled by Palmer and Horley were creaking at 81-5 in the 19th over.

Abdul Razzaq and Tom Jowett then steadied the ship, staying together for five overs to put on 36 for the sixth wicket. Jowett made his highest score in senior cricket, with the 13-year-old being caught by Palmer off Philip Maggs (2-34) for 35 from 31 balls. He hit five fours – one a superb chip – and a six.

When 20-year-old Field joined veteran Razzaq in the middle in the 24th over, the feeling on the sidelines was that the main aim was to bat the overs after last week’s capitulation. Their partnership began with 15 dot balls, then a few singles and twos featured, before Field hit a four off a no ball in the 29th over, then walloped the subsequent free hit for another four. Soon afterwards Field struck his first six and Razzaq followed suit two balls later and the runs were flowing.

Field reached 50 off 44 balls, then really cut loose, despatching the Wisborough Green bowlers all around the ground, taking just 12 more balls to reach 86 at the close (12 fours, three sixes). He was dropped just once, on 78, and Razzaq put his all into running between the wickets when needed, and finished on 20 not out.

Wisborough Green were always going to find it tough to chase 231 on a Copthorne pitch which has a tricky variable bounce. Horley’s opening bowlers, Ryan Smith and Field removed an opener each then Smith had Callum Price caught behind by Douglas and the visitors were 26-3 after nine overs.

Adams bowled Monty Palmer then a mishit hook by Wisborough skipper Tim Palmer was caught by Douglas off Adams (6-2-12-2). Louis Hartley and Mark Brown took the score to 74 before Razzaq dismissed them both in the same over to make the score 75-7.

Dave Childs struck next with a direct-hit runout to add to the catch he had taken for Smith’s first wicket. Smith returned for a second spell in the 37th over and bowled Philip Maggs for figures of 8-2-22-3. The last wicket was a runout, thrown in by Chadwick, as Wisborough Green were all out for 89 from 38 overs.

Horley are now third in Sussex League Division Ten West and play away at bottom side Lancing Manor next Saturday.