CHURT, having bullied Weybridge Vandals into playing on a rain-affected day, also bullied them on the pitch and a seven- wicket victory puts Dan Higgins’ side top of the Surrey Championship Division Four, alongside Stoke D’Abernon.

All 11 Churt players assisted with the removal of the covers after the rain had eased and a reduced 46-overs match went ahead.

Higgins predictably chose to field first and Oli Plaistowe promptly struck in the first over.

Tom Neville and Anish Kulkarni offered some resistance, but Vandals lurched to 55-5, with Plaistowe and Greg Talbot taking two wickets apiece. And when Josh Williams bowled Kulkarni at 88, there was no way back for the home side.

Williams, aged 16, ran through the rest of the batting, bowling a variety of deliveries, including some pearlers. He clean-bowled three of his victims and even when he dropped a return catch, the ball cannoned onto the stumps and Scott Baker, who was backing up, was run out.

Williams finished with 4-12 in 4.3 overs and although Churt dropped four catches – one of them a candidate for Worst Drop in Cricketing History – they wrapped up the Weybridge innings for 103 in the 34th over.

The Higgins brothers decided not to hang about in the threatening weather and 30 runs came from four overs before the captain was adjudged caught behind off the fiery Jonathan Powell.

Toby Finneran and Ben Mitchell hit a few boundaries in brief stays at the wicket. Then Ed Gyde joined Arran Higgins who, with selective hitting (two 6s, six 4s), steered Churt home in the 24th over to finish 48 not out – this to go alongside his three catches behind the stumps.

Churt will aim to keep their 100 per cent record going when they entertain Old Hamptonians this Saturday (1pm start).