Horley win but narrowly miss out on promotion

Horley CC went into the last game of the Surrey Premier Division season against Lingfield CC with a very slim chance of still getting promoted after the previous week’s defeat to Battersea CC.
Ben Davies took 3-29 for Horley CC in their win at Lingfield CCBen Davies took 3-29 for Horley CC in their win at Lingfield CC
Ben Davies took 3-29 for Horley CC in their win at Lingfield CC

Lingfield elected to bat first and Horley were looking to get off to a fast start like they so often have when bowling first this season.

On a wicket that was offering some indifferent bounce, Lingfield made a tentative start and the league’s leading wicket-taker, Ben Davies, (3-29) made the breakthrough Horley were after.

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With the help of Matthew Gainsford (2-34) and Guy Derham (2-14), Horley reduced Lingfield to 83-6.

Callum Forbes (31) and Harri Stewart (33 not out) gave the hosts some late-order runs that they were in desperate need of. However, an excellent spell at the death by Davies and Jordan Robins (2-20) restricted Lingfield to 152-9 from their 45 overs.

Horley’s reply also started tentatively and at 35-2 they were looking to rebuild. Derham (30) and Phil Norman (49) helped settle any nerves, but Derham’s departure led to another quick wicket leaving Horley on 74-4 with 16 overs left to score another 79 runs.

Matthew Gainsford chipped in with the bat scoring a quick 20 while Norman was anchoring the innings at the other end, until he was caught on the boundary off the bowling of Simon Hooker (3-25) with 1.2 overs left.

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With three needed off the last over, Richard Waddington (18 not out) would find the winning runs with three balls to spare taking Horley to 155-6.

With promotion rivals Battersea beating Chaldon CC, Horley’s hopes of going up to the Surrey Championship at the first time of asking ended.

However, come next year they will look to bounce back stronger and fight again for promotion.

HORLEY CC 2ND XI

Horley CC 2nd XI have been relegated back to Surrey County League Division One, after finishing their 2nd XI Premier Division season with a 91-run loss to Mitcham CC.

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The hosts put Mitcham in on a good pitch at Horley Row and they made a daunting 248-9 from their 45 overs.

Harry Grimwood snapped up a sharp stumping to help Trevor Stevens take an early wicket but number three Raj Joshi made 88 as Horley struggled to keep the run-rate down.

Andrew Thomas, Luke Smith and Alex Field took a wicket each and Ryan Bunn starred with 4-30, the first a great one-handed catch by Grimwood.

From the last two balls of Bunn’s third over, a running catch in the deep by Field and another behind the stumps by Grimwood to dismiss Joshi set up a hat-trick chance.

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Bunn’s next ball brought a wicket, but in the form of a run out for Thomas not a wicket for 14-year-old Bunn.

Horley made 157 all out in reply, with Jorell Wildman top-scoring with 48 and Ben Stewart making 30.

Veteran Stevens came in at five, needing 16 to reach a career total of 17,000 runs for Horley but he fell on 13 so that landmark will have to be achieved another day.

Once again Horley had six colts in their team with availability issues among the club’s senior players really biting.

Skipper Darren Croft has worked especially hard to support the teenagers on their journey into adult cricket and they will only improve next season.

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