HASLEMERE, now unbeaten with seven wins from eight games, lead the Surrey Championship Division Five by 30 points from Chertsey who visit the Rec this Saturday for a crunch game.

With Leigh Thayre still injured, Sam Williams performed the first job as captain, winning the toss and choosing to bowl on a greenish track.

Third-placed Maori Oxshott made a pretty solid start, though, and reached 35 before the reliable Chris May had Fahad Butt caught behind by the diving Pete Dudley.

At 50-1, Haslemere were getting fidgety. Maori were not really making progress, but Haslemere were not making inroads. Before long, this all changed as Alex Hooker and May took quick wickets.

The stage was now set for Chris Spooner, one of the league’s top wicket-takers, to go about his business and he and fellow spinner Williams reduced Maori from 66-3 to 125 all out, opener James Ewart top-scoring with 48.

Haslemere caught well in support of Spooner and Maori at times played some less than sensible shots.

Even so, Spooner’s return of 5-29 from 12 overs was impressive and it left Haslemere requiring just 126 from plenty of overs.

Haslemere started their chase in fine style, or rather Maori did as the rapid, but erratic Kieron Corbett gave away 13 extras in the first over.

That set the tone for the visitors who went on on to concede 35 extras. Corbett tightened up his line and at times made life hard for the batsmen, although it was Lee Cope who dismissed Spooner and Scott Boxall in the same over.

Chris Hooker and Williams steadied things and the score ticked along nicely, with both batsmen enjoying the pace on the ball.

The highlight of the chase was Chris Hooker’s chanceless 64 not out – the second time he has batted throughout an innings this season.

The other batsmen fared less well and six wickets were down, four of them to Cope, when the Hooker brothers saw Haslemere home with a flurry of boundaries after 38 overs.