Rob Waite's first Championship fifty of the season proved in vain as Worcester Park slumped to a 54-run defeat away at Chessington on Saturday.

Set 214 to win, Park were in good shape at 107-1 thanks to a 92-run partnership for the second wicket between Waite (66) and Rob Hill (38).

Opener Waite found the rope nine times with aplomb, while Hill again demonstrated good placement and punished the bad ball to good effect.

But the match changed dramatically when Hill slog-swept Andy Robson straight to Niall Stewart on the leg-side boundary - the first of nine wickets to fall for just 52 runs.

Waite quickly followed, caught at long-on off Luke Carter (4-45) who then removed Steffan Gooch thanks to Chris Norton's spectacular catch at midwicket.

Gary Marshall (15) was the only other player to make double figures as the lower-order fell away after Rob Bell was caught at slip while trying to work to leg.

Avoiding defeat became Park's priority but with only two balls remaining last-man Aidan Bell fell lbw to Richard Singleton (3-47) and the side was dismissed for 159.

The result lifts Chessington level with Park in joint third, but pacesetters Egham and Warlingham could only draw so one win separates second and sixth spot in a tight division.

Park, who entertain bottom-of-the-table Cranleigh this Saturday, will reflect on their third defeat of the season and think they should have bowled better.

Skipper Rob Bell (3-51) held an early return catch to send back Stuart Peplow (16), but Australian Carter (58) and Andy White (51) were given too much to hit.

The pair put on 91 for Chessington's second wicket before Marshall, who returned 4-44 over several spells, found the edge of White's bat and then bowled Niall Stewart.

At 165-3 it took some penetrative bowling from Joe Hill (1-33) and Nicky Ball (2-31) to wrestle control back from the hosts, who duly lost seven wickets for 48.

Hill led the rally by removing Carter and Ball ended Norton's brutish 34 from 38 balls to clear the way for Marshall and Bell to mop the innings, but 213 from 53.5 overs was enough.

Meanwhile, the second XI were on the wrong end of a fine individual display by Beddington spinner Marc Gorman, who returned 9-21 as Park were crushed by 127 runs.

In contrast, the in-form thirds made it three wins in four weeks in division one as Tom Latham's 5-33 helped secure a convincing 75-run victory over Warlingham at Cheam Rec.

The spinner followed up his 6-31 against Beddington with another match-winning display as the visitors were bowled out for 101, with Will Chipperton pouching four catches.

Earlier, Mike Byford (46) just missed out on his third league fifty in a row but did put on 101 for the first wicket with Mark Turner (48) to put Park on track for a score of 176-8 off 52.5 overs.