CHURT completed a remarkable victory against Old Pauline to maintain second position in the Fullers Surrey League Division One.

The home side were invited to bat on an excellent batting strip offering precious little to the bowlers. However, Churt lost three early wickets to some disciplined bowling, including the in-form Scott Power. A total collapse was averted with an entertaining stand between Daniel Higgins and Dave Thomas, the former relishing a spicy contest and playing some meaty blows.

The loss of Thomas brought Arran Higgins to the crease and the brothers set about the Pauline attack with gusto, taking the score to 120. But when both fell in the space of five runs – Daniel for a well-made 55 – the run-rate of six an over suddenly ground to a halt and batting became a different proposition. After a couple of brief cameos and some injudicious shots, Churt were dismissed for 155 – a distinctly gettable total.

Stung by their cheap demise, Churt began the defence of their score aggressively. Tight bowling from the restored Adam Askew and Thomas restricted Old Pauline to 20 runs in the first 10 overs, but it was the introduction of Power to bowl in tandem with Thomas that really put a stranglehold on the batsmen. Pressure mounted to intolerable levels and something had to give, and with the score at 27, five wickets were lost without the addition of a single run, all claimed by the rampant Thomas.

Backed up by inspired fielding, Thomas claimed a sixth wicket to leave the visitors teetering at 30-6.

The last 20 overs were signalled, with Churt still needing four wickets and a stubborn pairing in residence. But nerves were quickly calmed as Power snapped up three wickets. Thomas claimed his seventh victim and Old Pauline had slumped to 69 all out.

Thomas returned brilliant figures of 7 for 20 in 15.4 overs.

Churt can take great heart from this remarkable win going into this weekend's crunch top-of-the-table clash at Thames Ditton.

CHURT 155 (D Higgins 55, A Higgins 29, D Thomas 21).

OLD PAULINE 69 (D Thomas 15.4-11-20-7, S Power 18-10-9-3).