Richie K.O.’s Esher

After last week’s win away at East Molesey, thanks to Richie K Oliver’s unbeaten 110, the Llamas were hoping to close the gap on the top two when they hosted Esher, who find themselves in one of the relegation places despite last week’s win away at leaders Wimbledon. Esher arrived without Australian overseas Teague Wyllie (returned home) and Northants contracted Justin Broad and bowler Joe Lavender (Injured). With the Llamas without their own Surrey contracted players this promised to be as tight a game as earlier in the season at Esher’s New Road ground when the Llamas chased down Esher’s 303-10 thanks largely to George Ealham’s unbeaten 105.

Richie Oliver

Esher won the toss and asked the Llamas to bat. It was a difficult start with plenty of sideways movement under the cloudy skies and the Llamas were one down in the 1st over as Luke Haughton edged one to be caught at slip by Nicholas Smit from the bowling of Alex Chambers. George Ealham wasn’t finding the going any easier as 3 runs from 25 balls would demonstrate and George lost his off stump, bowled by Ben Townsend (10-0-37-1), as the Llamas were 18-2 in the 10th over.

Richie Oliver and Tommy Bates set about repairing the innings with Richie, hampered by a hamstring injury, scoring either singles or 4’s. By the 21st over the Llamas had recovered to 77 when Richie pushed one into the off-side and set off for a single as the fielder then had a direct hit on the stumps. Had it been available Esher would certainly have called for a 3rd Umpire review as the standing Umpire found himself behind the stumps rather than alongside the stumps and not in the best position to give a decision. Had we got away with one??

The shoe was then on the other foot as in the 26th over, after a partnership of 80, with the score on 98 Tommy Bates was given out caught for 25 by the same Nicholas Smit/Alex Chambers combination. Once again a 3rd Umpire review would have been requested as Tommy stood his ground believing the ball to have been a bump ball. Strangely the bowler’s end Umpire consulted his square leg colleague who surely would have had a limited view.

Fraser Sheat joined Richie and the pair began to take the game away from Esher as Fraser raced to his 5th 50 of the season; their 100 partnership followed as did Richie reaching his second ton in consecutive games. Then in the 45th over with the score on 214 Fraser was run out for 67 (off just 59 balls).

Fraser Sheet

Tom Massey was the 5th wicket to fall, bowled by Alex Chambers (10-2-34-3) before Harry McInley, 13no from 10 balls, joined Richie to take the Llamas to 253-5 after their allotted 50 overs.

Esher used 8 bowlers though none were to dismiss Richie who finished unbeaten on 120 from 155 balls. A measured and controlled, though not quite chanceless, innings with a chance being missed by the keeper. Richie’s innings, unsurprisingly given his hamstring injury, only included two 2’s but fortunately for the spectators included 15 fours and a six.

Esher’s reply started with openers William Tavaré (ex Gloucestershire CCC & nephew of ex England opener Chris Tavaré) and Adam Helwick who safely took the pair to 37 from 10 overs before a bowling change brought Tom Massey into the attack and Tom had immediate success having William Tavaré (13) caught by Michael Munday as Esher lost their 1st wicket and were 39-1 in the 12th over.

Fraser Sheet

The current and ex Captains then combined as Richie took a sharp slip catch from George Ealham’s bowling (5-0-23-1) to dismiss opener Adam Helwick (22) and Esher were 55-2 in the 15th over. The Llamas were keeping a lid on the run rate with some tight bowling, particularly from Tom Massey who then got his 2nd wicket (7-2-10-2) having Alex Chambers (15) caught behind by Rory Haughton for Esher to be 76-3 in the 22nd over.

As is often the case drinks brings a wicket and Esher were 87-4 in the 26th over as Michael Munday and Tom Massey combined again, this time Michael bowling and Tom catching as Nicholas Smit fell for 12. A Fraser Sheat catch off Michael Munday’s bowling dismissed George Baldwin (2) as Esher lost their 5th wicket and were now 105-5 in the 30th over with the Llamas well on top.

Michael Munday

But the ebb and flow continued as 6th wicket pairing of Don Butchart and Freddie Harrison began to claw Esher back into the game and Freddie played plenty of reverse sweeps for fours as he found Tendekai Mataranyika spin to his liking. The pair took Esher from 105-5 in the 30th over up to 180 in the 41st at about 7 runs per over and had brought the target to needing 84 from just about 9 overs when Dickie Stevens clean bowled Freddie Harrison (45) to turn the game back towards the Llamas as Esher were 180-6 in the 41st over.

Esher’s tail offered very little resistance as Michael Munday claimed his 3rd wicket (7-0-29-3) getting Ben Townsend (1) lbw and then Dickie Stevens (8-1-28-2) removed Don Butchart (50) with a fine catch by Tendekai Mataranyika as Esher went from 183-7 to 185-8. It was left to Fraser Sheat (9-2-21-2) to mop up the tail bowling both Joe de la Fuente (3) and Thomas Chandler (10) to end the Esher innings on 198 after 45 overs.

Richard Stevens

The 20 points keeps the Llamas in 3rd place on 212 points just 12 points behind 2nd place Sutton who lost at home to Ashtead (thanks to a double century from Ashtead’s Kiwi Simon Keene) and 18 points behind leaders Wimbledon who we visit next week. So with just 3 games left and all to play for, and as Curly can often be heard to say “UP THE LLAMAS”.