Surrey Championship Premier Division
Reigate Priory 278-6
Banstead 142
Reigate Priory won by 136 runs
HE SCORED an unbeaten 87 last weekend, but Chris Murtagh has truly found his form with 110 runs on Saturday to help league leaders Reigate Priory beat local rivals Banstead.
With second-placed Wimbledon losing at Weybridge it means Reigate Priory are one step closer to the league title, while Banstead are further from safety after third-from-bottom Guildford won against Leatherhead.
After winning the toss, Priory chose to bat and last weekend's century scorer Andy Delmont was the first to go for five, trapped lbw by Satbir Mann.
Henry Tye contributed 36 before he was also trapped lbw, this time by 17 year old Richard Lock.
It was always going to be an uphill struggle for the Rams, but slope steepened when they were unable to prevent Murtagh notching 100 runs from 143 balls, including 13 fours. He was eventually caught by Connor Cody off the bowling of Mann (2-60).
Michael Burgess added another 68 with Priory finishing their 50 overs on 278-6.
For a team who crumbled to 40 all out only two weeks ago to come up again the league's best bowlers, Banstead were surprisingly resilient.
Opener Gregory Dann was bowled for two by Will Hodson, but thereafter things improved.
Hamza Taaj added 24, Lock 19 and overseas Uwe Birkenstock 52 as Banstead fought the fight they probably always knew they were likely to lose.
Sam Woodward added another 25 runs, but the Rams eventually found themselves all out for 142 after just 36.2 overs.
