CHURT overcame stiff resistance from Old Emanuel to record a fourth successive win and strengthen their grip at the top of the Surrey Championship Division Five.

Dan Higgins decided to bat on a warm day and watched openers Will Hucker and Ben Mitchell share a trouble-free opening stand of 71 before a breakdown in communication separated them in the 17th over.

A flurry of wickets threatened to undo the good work and Mitchell, trying one big shot too many, was caught for a vital 68.

At 146-6, the innings was in the balance, but Dave Thomas came in to play one of his quickfire innings – 43 off 40 balls – and sensible batting from Ben Crane and Cam Emmott helped the total to a respectable 218-8 from the 50 overs.

It was a tricky wicket for batting, but Old Emanuel belied their league position and got off to a flyer, with opener Suhaas Kaushik (54) taking a liking to the normally miserly Oli Plaistowe.

Thomas and Rowley Marshall reined in the run-rate and the visitors went from 44-0 in the seventh over to 72-3 by the end of the 16th.

When Mitchell came into the attack and took two wickets with his first two balls – sharp catches by Will Hucker and Toby Finneran – and then Kaushik hit a Dom Saint long-hop straight to Marshall, Emanuel were teetering at 90-6 in the 20th over and Churt looked to be romping to victory.

However, Ayzal and Mohammed Asif batted sensibly for the next 15 overs and kept their side very much in the game.

The important break-through came at 149 in the 35th over when Marshall trapped Ayzal in front. A good catch by Crane and a first wicket for Emmott to cap a useful spell left Churt needing one more wicket, but with the dangerous Asif still there.

Mitchell returned for a second spell and Asif promptly tried to launch the Australian into orbit, only for Higgins to safely take the skier.

Churt now face three testing away matches, with Battersea Ironsides first up this Saturday.

*A minute’s silence was observed at Churt’s league matches in memory of Steve Leek who had died earlier in the week. Steve had served the club in many capacities, including secretary.