HASLEMERE returned to the top of the Surrey Championship Division Five with this win at Merrow, replacing Chertsey who lost to Old Emanuel.

Haslemere were looking to bounce back from last week’s dismal draw and the omens were not good when stand-in skipper Sam Williams lost the toss; sun-burn and heat-stroke it was.

And Merrow got off to a dream start as veteran opener Dave Woodriffe took 13 off Chris May’s first over. At 28, fellow opener Toby Jones was caught behind off Paul Jarmain, but Woodriffe continued to score freely, picking off the bad balls and moving to his 50.

He seemed to be tiring in the sweltering heat, but although Haslemere kept the run-rate under control by taking wickets at the other end, they couldn’t remove Woodriffe who reached a fine century and had made 111 out of 168, hitting 14 fours, when he finally fell to Williams.

Merrow failed to push on and spinners Alex Hooker, Chris Spooner and Williams held them to 194 – a very gettable score on a good pitch and fast outfield.

But Haslemere began badly. Spooner timed a pull shot off Mark Tyler too well and found the man on the fine-leg boundary. Pete Dudley fell to a straight one from the same bowler and the visitors were 27-2.

Much now depended on Scott Boxall and Williams and the pair duly delivered. Both pounced on any loose deliveries and with those coming rather regularly, the run-rate was healthy and, before you knew it, Haslemere were 90-2 from 18 overs.

Boxall was first to his 50 and struck 11 fours before falling to Josh Newman’s lovely slip catch for 65. Williams and Simon Eastment added a further 45 and Haslemere were a healthy 163-3 when the captain was caught for 51.

Eastment was then deceived by a yorker from Archie Foy who picked up two more wickets.

But Haslemere now needed just 20 from eight overs and Chris Sturt hit the winning runs to complete an impressive run-chase. A confidence-booster for a side that has struggled historically to chase higher totals.

Unbeaten with six wins out of seven, Haslemere host Maori Oxshott this Saturday.