Worcester Park increased their lead at the top of the table to 15 points with a five-wicket win over Warlingham that condemned their opponents to bottom place, writes Hany Mustapha.

Skipper Fell put the visitors in on another flat Park track, backing his powerful batting line-up to chase any total down despite injured players being absent.

Visiting openers Nigel Field and Shane Patel started brightly, though, running well between the wickets and punishing anything loose, with Field finally falling LBW to Sagar for 32 with the score on 73.

By the time Warlingham had pushed the score to a formidable 145-1, it was debutant Scott Kent’s first ball in league firsst XI cricket that saw Shane Patel caught at long off for an impressive 72.

Just four balls later, Kent had Morris caught at point. Rob Bell was reintroduced into the attack and promptly sent Divian Patel back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Three wickets for three runs in 10 balls turned the game and offered the match to Park for the taking.

After 54 overs, Warlingham’s innings closed on 214-8.

With just 44 overs available to chase down the total, Park needed a positive start, and this they got as Dexter Smith and Rob Waite began with aggressive intent, scoring at six an over.

Smith, in particular, was brutal on anything loose, hitting two sixes and seven fours in his third 50 of the season.

With the score 83 and Warlingham looking desperate, Mahesh Amin had Smith caught behind for 51 from 64 balls.

When Warlingham spinners Amin and Lind were introduced, the flow of runs was staunched and wickets began to fall – sending Park’s required scoring rate rising to eight an over from the last eight.

Sagar took the game to the visitors, eventually falling to keeper Hitesh Patel’s gloves for a 28-ball 35 off namesake Nihal Patel.

Sagar’s dismissal brought Galloway de Groot to the crease, who promptly pummelled 18 from nine balls to see Park home.

Another win for undefeated Worcester Park who top the table as the season turns past the half-way point.

Skipper Dom Fell’s men will be full of confidence when they visit Ashford next week.