Tilford maintained their lead at the top of the table in Division One of the I’Anson League with a 77-run win at home to Frimley on Saturday.

The visitors won the toss and put their opponents in to bat first. The pitch had been covered the night before and play started on time with only two brief interruptions for rain during the afternoon.

Tilford made steady progress but lost both openers as the score advanced to 48, with Ed Carlile making 22.

Fifteen-year-old John Barran came in to bat at number three and played a watchful and mature innings over 23 overs as he reached exactly 50 before holing out. He faced 108 balls, hitting four fours, and when he departed the score had reached 132.

Jack Cantwell added a useful 25 and the tail wagged as skipper George Ellis declared the innings on 180 for eight after 45 overs. For Frimley, captain Dave Carroll took four for 33 and Ben Beers-Baker bowled ten tidy overs for just 18 runs without conceding a boundary.

The visitors suffered early blows as Ben Matthews (three for nine) took the first three wickets, including that of top scorer Reece Fullbrook – who hit two sixes in his brief innings – for 26. Thereafter the innings went into decline with only Ben Green offering much resistance with 23 and the last five wickets fell for ten runs, with wickets shared by the Tilford bowlers as Frimley were all out for 103 in the 40th over.

Tilford’s third team beat Worplesdon & Burpham’s second team in Division Seven.

Worplesdon & Burpham scored 128 for six off 38 overs. Tilford were in trouble at 20 for four, before Matt Swarbrick (82 not out) and O Swarbrick (21) added 97 for the fifth wicket. The visitors reached their target in the 29th over.