Division Five

Addiscombe 241 Croydon MO 121

Addiscombe cemented their position at the top of the table with a surprisingly easy win over 10-man Croydon MO.

Put in to bat, Addiscombe were unfortunate to lose Jason Moore cheaply, the opener giving Asad Butt a simple return catch after the ball popped off a length.

Jack Docherty and Richard Johnson took the score to 57 before Docherty was dismissed for 29 and skipper Andrew Poulton followed soon afterwards without troubling the scorers.

Fortunately for the visitors Johnson was in fine form with the bat hitting a superb 81 before he became the sixth wicket to fall with the score on 176.

Ben Cox and Steven Cox both scored 33 as Addiscombe were dismissed for 241 in the 53rd over.

Opening the bowling with the old ball, Addiscombe soon had both MO openers back in pavilion thanks to Johnson. Kamran Shah (27), Ejaz Hussain (30) and Abid Ali (26) launched a middle-order fightback, but in truth, the home side were never in it as the visiting attack shared the wickets.

The new ball was finally taken near the end which came when Mohsin Butt was run out for four as his side was dismissed for 121.

Poulton said: "I didn't anticipate it would be as easy as it was. We bowled well from the start and took all our catches.

"Now we can look forward to our top-of-the-table clash with Chipstead. Being a batsman it's quite nice that they've no longer got Shaun Tait as I hear he's quite sharp."

Chipstead Coulsdon & Walcountians 267-6 Wallington 222-7

A CENTURY opening partnership between Nick Woods and Ben Watson was not enough to earn Chipstead victory over Wallington in a high-scoring game at Hillside Gardens.

Electing to bat first, Chipstead made the perfect start as Woods and Watson put on 137 before the former fell to Razi Khan for 82.

Khan picked up Daryl Hattingh, Watson for 68 and Steve Hirst cheaply to leave Chipstead 169-4.

John Blackburn was then caught and bowled by Fauad Sayeed but Australian Jarrad Tait then shepherded the lower middle-order to tea finishing unbeaten on 55 as Chipstead declared on 267-6 in the 51st over.

Elliot Noble and Tait gave Chipstead hope of keeping up with the league leaders by claiming early wickets only for hopes of victory to be dashed by Sayeed (41), Khan (49no) and a fine century from Rehman Qadir (108) that included 18 fours and two sixes as his side closed on 222-7.