Sat 13th June - 1st XI v Camberley

CAMBERLEY 248-5 (66) drew with DULWICH 208-7 (54)

After last week’s washout Dulwich made the long journey to Camberley on a warm sunny day, but were unable to force victory in their Division 1 match in the M.Zaidi & Co Surrey Cricket Championship, and had to settle for a winning draw.

Dulwich put their opponents in to bat but were unable to make an early breakthrough as the openers put on 35 in the first seven overs against quickies Tommy Clout and Dan Empson. A double bowling change brought on Will O’Donnell and Harrison Perry, who conceded just 36 between them in the next 15 overs. Empson also tightened up in his second spell, and Camberley went into lunch on 109-1 after 33 overs. With Dan Walker and former Hampshire keeper Michael Bates both well set, and wickets in hand, they were still seemingly well placed to push to a commanding score. But Harvey Booth, Felix Watson-Smyth, and second spells from Clout and O’Donnell kept them in check, and they continued to score at a modest 3.5 runs per over. The expected onslaught did not come until the final two overs which went for 27. O’Donnell bowled 23 overs to finish with 3-79, while Clout and Booth took the other two wickets to fall. Camberley had used up their full 66 overs to finish with 248-5, leaving Dulwich 54 overs to get the runs.

Abdullah Khawaja got the reply off to a rapid start with 22 off 28 balls, but following his dismissal O’Donnell and Peter Frettingham also found it difficult to score quickly. O’Donnell reached his fourth half century in five completed innings before Frettingham fell for 42 with the score on 120 in the 33^rd over. Skipper Ollie Steele joined O’Donnell to add 32 in five overs for the third wicket, but O’Donnell’s dismissal, having made 67 off 99 balls, ended hopes for a late push for victory. Steele fell four overs later for 22 off 30 balls, and Henry Goodwin followed in the next over to make it 158-5 after 43.

Dulwich still needed 91 for victory from the last eleven overs, or more realistically, 45 to make 203 for the winning draw. Perry led the charge, making 29 off 28 balls out of a stand of 35 for the sixth wicket with newcomer Freddie Skelton. Booth joined Skelton with ten runs wanted for the winning draw, and they added nine before Skelton was run out for 12 in the penultimate over going for the tenth run. Booth hit the next ball for two to pass the target, leaving Clout to bat out the final over and secure the draw, which he did until hitting the last ball to the boundary after the draw was safe. Dulwich closed on 208-7 off their 54 overs.

Dulwich gain ten points from this game and remain in fifth place. Next week they have a tough match at home against Sunbury, who were relegated with them last season but who now sit at the top of the table.