Horley up to second after crucial win over Godalming

Regan Derham (left), with skipper Charlie Robins, hit a match-winning total of 83 for Horley CC against Godalming CC

Parts of the square at Horley Row were flooded by rain at 11am but a band of Horley players worked hard to dry the pitch in time for the 1pm start and their efforts paid off.

When the match began, Derham hit eight fours and three sixes in his 95-ball knock before he fell with Horley on 150-4.

Ben Davies (24) and Matt Gainsford (22 off ten balls) added valuable runs in the latter part of the innings and Horley made 186-6 in 37 overs.

Skipper Charlie Robins took an early wicket in Godalming’s reply, then a run out and two wickets from Gainsford – one a superb one-handed catch at mid-wicket from Richard Waddington – plus a wicket from Guy Derham reduced the visitors to 32-5.

Horley were running between overs to try to speed the innings along to the 20 overs which would count as a match if more rain came.

Two wickets from Adam Stephenson to add to the three catches he took, kept Horley in the driving seat. Phil Norman took a spectacular catch for one of Stephenson’s dismissals, parrying the ball up with one hand and catching it with the other.

Then Guy Derham (3-14) picked up two wickets and Davies one to bowl Godalming out for 109 in 34 overs and secure 20 league points for Horley.

The win enabled Horley to leapfrog Battersea Ironsides CC and move into the second promotion spot in the Premier Division, as Battersea’s scheduled match against league leaders London Gymkhana CC was rained off.

Gymkhana have 187 points, Horley 182 and Battersea 181, with three matches remaining.

Horley CC 2nd XI were not so fortunate with the weather. Cobham CC called off their Surrey County League 2nd XI Premier Division match in the morning due to a waterlogged square.

And sadly for Horley the only match in the division to go ahead was Byfleet CC v Mitcham CC, which Mitcham won to pick up 20 points and overtake Horley, pushing them one place closer to the relegation zone.

Next Saturday Horley are at home to Newdigate CC, who lie seventh in the ten-team table, while Horley 2nd XI play away at third-placed Woodmansterne CC.