OLD WIMBLEDONIANS 97-9 (31.5) lost to DULWICH 263 (57) by 166 runs
A superb unbeaten century by Sam Seecharan, followed by a devastating bowling spell by Kaif Ramzan, saw Dulwich to a crushing 166 run victory at Old Wimbledonians in Division 1 of the AJ Sports Surrey Championship.
Dulwich were put in to bat and started brightly, but the loss of James Schofield and Harrison Perry, both for 13, and skipper Ollie Steele for 7, reduced them to 33-3 after 11.1 overs. Chris Purshouse and Apoorv Wankhade set about rebuilding the innings and added 71 in 20 overs for the fourth wicket. Wankhade, as so often, took the lead and had already reached 42 when Purshouse fell, having faced 85 balls in a solid supporting innings of 27.
This brought in Seecharan, who gradually took command and comfortably outscored his partner, who unselfishly gave him the strike. The fifth wicket pair put on 99 before Wankhade fell for 71, off 92 balls. Seecharan had already reached 66 by this stage, and he continued in the same vein while wickets tumbled at the other end, with only keeper Michael Harms, who made 16 off 19 balls, reaching double figures. Seecharan reached his first century for the Club off just 74 balls, and remained unbeaten when the last two wickets fell to successive balls one run later. His 102 had come out of 159 and included seven sixes, four of which came off one over by opposition skipper Ewan Parker. The last three wickets had fallen to opening bowler Keval Jadhav to give him figures of 6-75, as Dulwich were dismissed for 263 off 57 overs.
Seecharan then opened the bowling in company with Harvey Booth, but it was the latter who made the breakthrough. Booth bowled a superb opening spell of seven overs for just 12 runs in which he dismissed both openers. Gary Ardoll and keeper Chris Morris added 27 for the third wicket before Morris was forced to retire hurt. Ramzan joined the attack two overs later and removed Ardoll for 27 in his first over. Ahmed Khan took the fourth wicket in the next over, and Wimbledonians went in to tea precariously placed on 63-4 after 21 overs.
But there was to be no recovery as Ramzan proceeded to demolish the rest of the batting order. He struck three times in the first over after the break and picked up his fifth wicket shortly afterwards. Five consecutive batsmen had been dismissed without scoring as Wimbledonians declined to 71-8 after 26 overs. Sam Mulligan made merry in a stand of 26 with last man Harry Chappell, finishing with 42 not out off 53 balls. Ramzan took a return catch to dismiss Chappell, and with Morris unable to resume the innings closed on 97-9. Ramzan finished with the remarkable figures of 6-17 off 7.5 overs, with five of his six wickets being bowled or leg before.
This victory lifts Dulwich back into second place in the table. Next week they have a return fixture against Walton on Thames, who are currently eighth. Dulwich will be looking to repeat their victory in the first match between the sides.
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