Old Match reports

A wonderful unbeaten century from Egham skipper Mark Watmore was by far and away the highlight of a very disappointing 5 wicket defeat at the hands of Old Wimbledonians on Saturday.  Egham lost the toss and were invited to bat first on a wicket of variable bounce. They were soon in trouble losing Richard Hall in the first over edging Keys behind.  Stuart Margetts soon followed bowled by Louw for 6.  Richard Jones and Watmore consolidated and had reached 56-2 at the 20 over drinks break, however Jones was bowled immediately after the break by Redeker for 13 and worst was to follow with the score on 61 as Smith and Hamilton both fell LBW in successive balls to Dalby-Walsh.  Adam Reid joined Watmore with the score at 61-5 and became the dominant partner in a stand of 62.  The big man played a selection of hefty and more subtle strokes in compiling 38 before he was adjudged caught behind off Redeker's bowling.  Steve Willmore was able to give Watmore similar support making a vital 19 in a quickfire 67 run partnership that saw Watmore begin to up the tempo and find the boundary with regularity. Willmore was out to a stunning 1 handed catch by Ansar and Dave Morris joined Watmore for the final couple of overs that saw Watmore reach the well deserved century and a seemingly competitive 202-7 dec from 54 overs.  The skipper finished on 106 not out, a brilliant effort that included a dozen 4's and a solitary 6.

Egham were quietly confident of a positive result during the tea interval but they were soon to realise they were in for a tough afternoon, an

unusually inconsistent opening spell from Willmore helped the home batters off to a good start and neither he or Dave Morris could find a breakthrough. It took a complete change of pace to make the breakthrough when Jamie Hamilton's off-spin trapped Lo in front for 47 in the 18th over with the score on 86.  Stefan Kaltner had found some decent line and lengths at the other end but his fielders could not back him up as Kurz was spilt twice in the space of 3 balls.  He soon had some joy removing Fitton's middle stump and it was 90-2.  Kurz and the classy Ansar continued to dominate and moved the score to 152 until Hamilton bowled the latter for 28.  He quickly removed Smith for no score caught behind and it was 4 down.  Keys came in to swing the willow and did so to good effect clattering a quickfire 25 before a top edge off Kaltner was held by Willmore, but this was all too little too late and Kurz with 83 not out saw Old Wimbledonians home to 203-5 from 43 overs.

Egham will hope for better at home to Warlingham on Saturday and then on Sunday they have the semi final of the Bertie Joel Cup away to North Middlesex to look forward to.

Egham managed to push runaway league leaders Epsom all the way to the finishing line on Saturday in an enthralling game of cricket that was a credit to Division 3 of the Shepherd Neame Surrey Championship, in the end both teams finished just short of victory, with Epsom claiming the extra points for a winning draw. After another lost toss, Mark Watmore's Egham side were asked to bat first.With first choice opening bat Noel Smith an 11th hour absentee due to sickness, Mark Watmore took the opportunity to move into his favoured opening slot alongside Dave Risk. It was so nearly a disastrous decision, as Watmore looped a leading edge to opposing skipper Danny Secchi off the first ball of the day, only for the Epsom skipper to drop the easiest of chances, it proved to be a costly error by Secchi as Watmore and Risk began to pile up the runs. Risk hit a number of sumptuous back foot drives off the pacey Mark Kasey and the score moved to 41 but off the last ball of the 10th over Kasey got his man as Risk was caught in the covers for a fluent 25. Stuart Margetts joined Watmore at the crease and the 2 embarked on an excellent 79 run partnership before Margetts foolishly ran himself out one short of what would have been a well deserved half century. Watmore's eventful day had continued when in the 30's a tweaked hamstring required the services of a runner. Watmore and the inform James Tindall continued to dominate the Epsom attack and Watmore notched up his first half century of the season before eventually being undone by the wily Sharma for a superb 75 Tindall was then the unfortunate party in a mix up with Ian Smith that led to his run out for a brilliant quickfire 37. Smith soon followed in the same way for 13 and a flurry of late wickets fell as Egham closed their innings on 215-9 from 55 overs with Epsom's batters finally being set a tough target for the first time all season, it promised to be an interesting battle as both sets of players played their part in a riveting innings where the momentum swung back and forth on several occasions. Hudson and Mawji were certainly keen to impose themselves on the Egham attack and coupled with some poor Egham bowling, Epsom raced to 30 in just 6 overs. Dave Morris finally managed to get one in the right area and some extra bounce found the outside edge of Hudson and Meadows did the rest with the gloves. New batsman Marshallsay raced to 18 in no time but was a first over victim for Steve Willmore as he trapped his man in front with the score on 55. Jamie Hamilton's off spin was introduced into the attack in an attempt to stem the flow of runs but Moore promptly peppered the boundary boards in his first over as Epsom continued to surge forward. Hamilton's 2nd over reaped much better rewards when he found Mawji's outside edge and Meadows clung on gleefully to see the end of the opener for 38. Tim Johnson and Will Moore soon forced Willmore out of the attack and seemed set to take Epsom to victory but both hit sharp return catches to Hamilton for 28 and 53 respectively. Murrell soon departed, another Hamilton victim and Epsom were 6 down. Overseas star Sonu Sharma and Dave Kawan were clearly still going for the victory and with 35 required from 7 overs it was still very much a possibility. Hamilton claimed his 5th and possibly most crucial wicket when Sharma clipped a sharp chance to Tindall on 22, and in the next over the returning Willmore picked up Secchi for just 1, well held by Morris on the square leg boundary. At 189-8 and only 4 overs left, but crucially past the winning draw total Epsom decided to try and protect their unbeaten record. Stefan Kaltner replaced Jamie Hamilton after an excellent spell of 5-50, but the young seamer had just one over to weave his magic, he needed just 3 balls to trap Kasey in front and reduce Epsom to 191-9. Somerford comfortable blocked the youngster's last 3 balls which left Willmore with 6 balls to break through Kawan's defences, a task he was sadly unable to do and he finished with figures of 2-48 and a wonderful encounter came to a close.

Next week Egham travel to Bank of England where they will try and make up ground on Streatham and Farncombe who have edged away in the battle for 2nd spot behind champions elect Epsom.

Egham put in a thoroughly professional all round performance on their travels to lowly Edward Alleyn & Honor Oak on Saturday, comprehensively thumping them by 133 runs to move up a place to 4th in Div 3 of the Shepherd Neame Surrey Championship. Asked to bat first by their hosts, Egham's openers Noel Smith and Dave Risk put on a solid partnership of 41 in 13 overs before Teesdale encouraged Risk to leave a delivery that spun back sharply and bowl him for 16. Stuart Margetts looked in good touch and was the dominant partner in a 55 run 2nd wicket partnership before being bowled by Johnson for 33. Noel Smith completed an excellent, well measured half century but was soon another victim of Johnson and was bowled for 52. James Tindall, returning from international hockey duty, continued his excellent season, and along with skipper Mark Watmore, featured prominently in a 78 run partnership. Tindall played some wonderful shots all around the wicket and was also able to ruin the figures of the accurate former Surrey seamer Mark Kenlock, despatching him for a late boundaries to finish unbeaten with 72. Watmore had been dismissed for 26 just before the declaration came at 222-5 from 50 overs. EA & HO's reply could hardly have got off to a worse start when in the 2nd over the accurate Stefan Kaltner managed to dismiss Bridgeman for 1 caught off bat and pad by Risk at short extra. He wasted little time in picking up his 2nd wicket in his 2nd over with Meadows taking a thin edge behind the wicket. Further success was to come in his 4th and 5th overs clean bowling 2 sorry victims to leave the hosts in all sort of trouble. Dave Morris was causing nearly as many problems at the other end and chipped in with 3 wickets for himself as the homeside capitulated to 55-7. Kaltner and Morris were rested having taken 4-20 and 3-24 respectively. Adam Reid and Jamie Hamilton sensed the victory and both got in on the act. Hamilton claimed the wicket of Teesdale and Reid dismissed Lucking and Johnson to wrap the innings up at just 88. Egham will undoubtedly find the going considerably tougher next Saturday when they host runaway leaders and champions elect Epsom at Vicarage Road. An excellent weekend was completed by further victories for both the 2nd & 3rd XI's to make it a 39 point bonanza at the Vicarage Road outfit. The 2nd XI beat league leaders, Old Mid-Whitgiftians and the 3rd XI demolished Mitcham by 10 wickets having dismissed them for just 64.