VALLEY END 156 (35.2) lost to DULWICH 263-9 (50) by 107 runs
Dulwich once again fielded five players under the age of 20 in their AJ Fordham Surrey Championship Division 1 match at Valley End, and all made significant contributions in securing victory by 107 runs.
Dulwich chose to bat and 18 year old Ollie Sykes led the way in a dynamic opening partnership with Ollie Steele which took full advantage of the fielding restrictions to put on 74 for the first wicket in just 11.4 overs. Steele was first to go, having played a supporting role in making 23 off 34 balls. Sykes passed his half century shortly afterwards off just 39 balls, but soon lost Apoorv Wankhade and skipper Chris Purshouse as Dulwich declined to 96-3 after 17.2 overs. This brought in 17 year old Sam Seecharan, and together they added 62 in 15 overs for the fourth wicket before Sykes fell for 89, off 85 balls. Seecharan was now joined by Ahmed Khan, a first team regular for the last four years despite still being only 18. They added 60 together in just 10.3 overs before Seecharan fell for 59 off 82 balls, his first half century for the club. The next four batsmen were either run out or leg before as the innings closed on 263-9 after 50 overs, leaving Khan undefeated on 47, off 57 balls.
By a remarkable coincidence, the Valley End openers also put on 74 for the first wicket, in just eleven overs. The onslaught was led by South African overseas player Josh Dodd, who emulated Sykes by reaching his half century off 39 balls. But there the similarity ended, as Dodd failed to go on, falling leg before to Khan two balls later. The Dulwich bowlers then worked their way through the rest of the order. Khan picked up the second wicket, and Seecharan took the next two in a superb spell of accurate pace bowling which gave him 2-21 off seven overs. Jon Lodwick then returned for a second spell in which he took two wickets for seven runs in five overs to finish with 2-19 off seven. Kaif Ramzan, 19, took the seventh wicket. Khan chipped in with the eighth and Ramzan took the last two in successive balls. Valley End had lost all ten wickets for 82 runs in 24.3 overs, to be all out for 156 after 35.2. Ramzan finished with 3-23 off 6.2 overs and Khan 3-38 off eight. The fifth teenage player, 18 year old keeper Robbie Keaton, also excelled in taking three catches and a stumping.
Dulwich have been in seventh place for the last nine matches, since losing the first meeting between these sides in early June, but now move up one place to sixth. Next week they have a home fixture against Camberley, who are in eighth position and are one of three clubs fighting to avoid relegation.