PIRBRIGHT went from fourth to top of I’Anson Division Two with their win over Frensham 2nd XI.
Pirbright elected to bowl first at Hollowdene and Aman Khan (5-47), finding an early rhythm, accounted for Frensham II’s top four with a combination of swing and seam. Ben Maxwell dug in for a hard-earned 39, but this turned out to be the top score. However, Chris Powell and Richard Chuter made sure the tail wagged and got the home side up to 144 all out.
Frensham made early inroads (18-2) and created other chances, not least when Dom Allom was dropped which would have left the visitors three down with just 19 on the board. It proved costly; Allom went to a run-a-ball 52 and shared a half-century partnership with James Thompson (36). Ryland Kelly steered Pirbright home with four wickets intact.
Witley have been in fine early-season form, but they lost a crucial toss at Elstead and the openers were soon castled by Deighton DuPlooy. The middle order rallied (Russell 29, Hill 28), but Peter Cheeseman picked up two wickets and Guy Drayton (4-10) destroyed the tail. Witley all out for 143.
Ollie Hickman struck early for Witley, but then an excellent partnership between Dave Tye and Drayton made certain of victory. Tye struck a dominant 82, Drayton finished unbeaten on 53, and Elstead cruised home for the loss of only two wickets.
Tilford II lost the toss again and were put in by Grayshott II on a drying track. The visitors bowled beautifully and only 16 runs came from the first 15 overs. Wickets started to tumble, but Guy Wilson and Tom McKay, with 32 apiece, shored up the middle order and some lusty late blows from Hugo Young (24 not out) raised the score to 135-9 off 48 overs. Charlie Tuffin took 3-23, while Rob Gregory yielded just 17 runs from 14 miserly overs.
Grayshott’s reply, in contrast, was anything but pedestrian. Dropped off the first ball of the innings, Luke McBain tucked into some friendly bowling and 42 came from five overs. At 92-2 after 16 overs, it was game over and Grayshott won at a canter in the 30th over. McBain’s hurricane 70 included 10 fours and three sixes.
Tongham, after a shaky start, enjoyed another run feast at Poyle Road and batted Fernhurst out of the game with 277-6 in 48 overs. Opener Adam Farrier made 51, paving the way for Scott Meyer (88 not out) and Gurang (70) to savage the bowling.
But Fernhurst refused to roll over and despite the persevering efforts of Tyler Carrington, who took all six wickets to fall, opener James Johnson (58) shored up he innings and the visitors played out time on 134-7.