TRINITY MID-WHITGIFTIAN 117 S Sales 56, M Farrant 5-22

LEATHERHEAD 118-4

Leatherhead won by six wickets

Mark Farrant returned figures of 5-22 as Trinity Mid-Whitgiftian’s old batting frailties were ruthlessly exposed by an impressive Leatherhead side on Saturday.

Mids lost an important toss and had to contend with difficult batting conditions but their innings never got out of first gear against a disciplined Leatherhead attack.

Runs were hard to come by for openers Nowell and Miles as Farrant and Baker bowled a straight line and full length while the hosts were sprightly and well drilled in the field.

Leatherhead were rewarded for their pressure in the eleventh over when Miles was tempted out of his crease by Nicol and was out stumped.

Nowell fell lbw to Farrant for 13 before Richard Piggin picked out Thompson at mid-on as Mids slumped to 33-3.

Only Stewart Sales bucked the trend with another excellent innings, hitting four fours and three sixes to complete his second consecutive half century.

However, partners came and went with regularity at the other end with the remaining seven TMW batsmen mustering a paltry eighteen runs between them.

Spinners Thompson and Udal finished with two wickets apiece while Farrant returned to polish off the tail as Mids were bowled out for a disappointing 117 with Sales the last man to fall for 56.

Mids received some early encouragement as in-form bowler Mark Roberts had opener Jonathan Tribe caught at slip off the third ball of the innings.

However, Jamie Brooks and Mike Nicol epitomised Leatherhead’s positive brand of cricket as they pressurised the TMW fielders and ran like whippets between the wickets in a stand of 67 for the second wicket.

Brooks made 45 before he was out stumped by Miles while Nicol eventually fell lbw to Piper for 22.

Former England international Shaun Udal looked capable of finishing the game quickly, hitting 14 off 13 balls before he was also out stumped.

Mids continued to work hard with the ball and it took Leatherhead skipper Matt Joblin and James Musgrave more than 12 overs to score the remaining 25 runs they needed to complete the victory.

While the bowling attack looks in good shape the lightweight nature of the batting remains a concern for Mids captain Richard Nowell ahead of some important games over the next few weeks.

Mids play their first home match this Saturday when they take on Cobham Avorians at Lime Meadow.