Malden Wanderers’ Stewart Walters is hoping a return to form with the bat for Surrey can fire his side in to contention at the top of the Pro 40 League Division Two.

The 24-year-old hit 91 as the Brown Caps beat Northamptonshire by 63-runs to move to fifth in the table on Sunday - the same day his side we securing a dream Lord’s final date in the National Knock-out Cup.

Walters has plundered runs in the second team since recovering from injury, but has struggled to replicate that form in the head coach Alan Butcher’s first choice eleven.

Surrey piled up 268 for six in their innings before three wickets from South African debutant Robert Frylink helped Butcher’s men to a much needed victory.

They are still yet to register a win in the Liverpool Victoria COunty Championship Division One and are in dire relegation trouble after last week’s draw at Somerset - which featured an unbeaten double century from Mark Ramprakash.

But Walters reckons Sunday’s triumph could be the start of a revival from Surrey as they bid to beat the drop.

“I have felt really good all year but it is one of those things that hasn’t happened for me,” he said.

“I’ve played a lot of one day cricket and haven’t played an innings like that so it was nice to get that off my back.Hopewfully it can be the start of something for me and the team.

“I can only look forward to the next game, put my skills out there and hopefully post another big score.

“We haven’t played well in one day cricket for a while now, hopefully we’ve got a bit of confidence under out belt and we can push on.”

Wanderers didn’t suffer for Walters’ absence at the weekend as Simon Crampton’s figures of 4-16 and 1-15 from skipper Giles Puckle helped secure their semi-final triumph over Waltham.

A 38-run partnership eighth-wicket partnership between Crampton (15) and Neil Mander (25) proved crucial as Waltham were bundled out for 109 chasing Wanderers’ 133 all-out.

The result came 24 hours after half-centuries from Alan Cope (51) and Laurie Evans (53) helped Malden keep the pressure on Surrey Championship Premier Division leaders Reigate Priory with a 95-run triumph over struggling Dulwich.