Surrey Championship Premier Division
Wimbledon 303-8
Banstead 187-5
Winning draw for Wimbledon
A LATE thunderstorm helped Banstead earn a losing draw at title-chasing Wimbledon, but results elsewhere saw the Rams fall to the bottom of the Premier Division.
Banstead are now the only side in the league without a win to their name in 2014 after fellow strugglers Valley End beat Leatherhead on Saturday, the result leaves the Rams seven points adrift at the bottom and 19 points from safety.
Uwe Birkenstock won the toss and put the hosts into bat, and the Rams got off to a good start with Aman Shinwari catching James Johnston for three off the bowling of Satbir Mann. Neil Turk was the next to go, trapped lbw by Chris Bolton for a patient 12 runs off 35 balls.
When the third wicket fell to leave the hosts at 67-3, a superb bit of bowling from Will Mann seeing Ben Compton caught by Craig Short for 27, it looked like Banstead might have a glimmer of a hope of toppling the current league champions.
However, skipper Chris Benham posted a quickfire 64 before he was caught by Jak Martin off the bowling of Freddie van den Bergh, the first of five wickets for the Surrey youngster (5-79).
Will Leith added six and Gerry Penford went for a duck, both off Van den Bergh, but a few decent latter order contributions, including an unbeaten century by James Brown (112no), helped the hosts up to 303-8.
Chasing a reasonable total and short a number of batsmen, Banstead were disappointed to see opener Jak Martin out for five, while Hamza Taaj added 28 before he was trapped lbw by James Bett.
Gregory Dann contributed 25 but Banstead were struggling for the big partnership they needed. It looked like Birkenstock (78no) and Shinwari (26no) stood a chance of earning Banstead something from the game, but before they could finish the innings, the flashes of lightning started, which was soon followed by torrential rain. Banstead finished at 187-5, Chris Benham was the picked of the home bowlers with 2-18.
