Tom Sapsed scored 90 and Eamon Drea took four wickets as Claygate 1st XI dominated Horley CC 1st XI, winning by 131 runs and continuing their promotion push.

On an overcast day, Horley won the toss and made what looked like the sensible decision when they chose to bowl first.

And having been reduced to 76 for two - with Sapsed on 49 - Chris Howe and Sapsed put on a 105 run partnership to steady them.

After Sapsed was bowled just 10 runs shy of his tonne, Howe made a vital 69 and Claygate reached 229-4 off their 45 overs.

In reply, Claygate’s tight bowling never gave Horley a chance.

Opening bowlers Rajindu Rodrigo and Sanjeewa Wijetunga got the wickets tumbling early on, with Rodrigo finishing with three wickets and Wijetunga with two.

But Drea - after coming on in the first change - cleaned up the lower order with four wickets, and Horley were eventually bowled out for 97 off 31.2 overs.

Despite fellow promotion chasing Wandgas’ win, the 1st XI remain in second position in Fullers Surrey County League 1st XI Division One, with a 13 point lead over Wandgas in third.

Elsewhere, the 2nd XI lost a nail-biter at the Rec, as they lost by one wicket to promotion hopefuls Morden CC.

Having been put into bat, the 2nd XI started well, with openers Damian Ross and David Andrews putting on 63 before Andrews was caught behind.

Ross went onto make a handy 42 and James McPhail and Jay Harshaka made useful contributions of 25 and 26 respectively.

But after they lost their wickets, the tail failed to wag and the 2nd XI were eventually bowled out for 164 off 41.5 overs.

In response, Morden got off to a lightning-quick start with opener Michael Gardener making a rapid 57 before some smart fielding by Harshaka got him caught and bowled.

The game looked dead and buried until a second spell from Tom Pickworth resulted in four quick wickets, giving Claygate a glimmer of hope.

And the game was thrown wide open from an superb run-out from Kemuel Smith meant Claygate only needed one wicket whilst Morden needed just two runs.

Unfortunately for the 2nd XI couldn’t get that last wicket and Morden were able to squeak over the line.

After West End CC’s win yesterday, the result leaves the 2nd XI third in the Fullers Surrey County League 2nd XI Division Three, just a solitary point behind second place.

On Sunday, Duncan Collyer’s four wickets couldn’t stop Shepperton on their way to a comfortable victory over the Claygate Sunday 1st XI.

Bowling first, the 1st XI were put under immediate pressure as Shepperton’s opening pair came out firing, with David Steward finishing on 120.
Collyer’s wickets stemmed the flow somewhat, but Shepperton set an imposing total of 281.

In reply, the 1st XI got off to a promising start, with opener James McPhail scoring 40.

But after his wicket fell, the 1st XI’s batsmen fell regularly, and were eventually bowled out for 158 off 27 overs.