In 2024, the 5th XI have entered a league team in the Surrey Championship for the 3rd Consecutive season and will play in Division 3 West.
The intention of our 5th XI is to blend a healthy mix of ‘seasoned veterans’ with an abundance of youth making their first steps in to adult cricket. All 5th XI home matches will be played at Imber Court.
The team will once again be captained by Gareth Narinesingh (garethnarinesingh@hotmail.com, 07804 639 138)
5th XI – Season Report – 2023 (Gareth Narinesingh)
Esher 5s finished the Div 6 West 2023 season in 5th place out of 12 league teams, with 8 wins. This is a consistent performance with our 2022 season when we also finished 5th with 8 wins.
Like 2022, we struggled with consistent availability in the first half of the season, winning only 2 of our first 9 matches, conceding 2 unfortunately plus a match cancellation due to rain.
During the second half of our season, the 5s changed home ground to Shrewsbury House, which must be one of the best lower league grounds anywhere in the country! With the improvement in pitch and outfield, the team went on a fantastic run, losing only 1 of our 9 matches in the second half of the season and winning 6, with 2 cancellations for rain. The cancellations probably prevented us from finishing a spot or 2 higher.
Over the course of the season the 5s beat every team which finished above us, except for a narrow 21 run loss against Camberley where it has to be said the pitch played a key role!
Our best performance of the season was a very convincing 5 wicket win against eventual league champions Woking & Horsell 3rd XI, where the standard of our bowling and fielding was simply outstanding. A special mention must go to our YC spin pairing of Rahul De Silva and Shiv Patel who supported each other from either end in a breath-taking spell. The speed with which they got through their overs meant that we took the game away from our opposition in less than an hour during an uninterrupted 16 over spell for very few runs. However, the final word went to Sachin Patel and Tom Lenton who took us over the line with a partnership of 99*, Sachin finishing on 72*.
The skipper’s favourite moment of the season was in our final league match, with 9 men sat on the boundary relaxing in the September sunshine and enjoying great banter, whilst watching the opening pair of Messrs Will and Paul Hamilton ticking off a fabulous 10 wicket win against Weybridge. Saturday afternoons do not come any better than this.
Once again it has been an incredible privilege to play with and witness the talent emerging from Esher YCs. Sam Slaney’s devastating 150* against Hampton Wick Royal, the all-round performances of Jayden Forword, Max Chambers, Josh Kavia and Orson Jones, and the craft of our spin pairing of Rahul De Silva and Shiv Patel. Also a special mention to Barney Rawlinson who claimed a senior 3-fer whilst bowling off 22 yards for the first time. I am so proud of our YC lads, many of them who made their first appearances in senior league cricket in 2023.
A big thank you also to several senior players who have shown great commitment to 5s cricket this season to make it so enjoyable for everyone – James Ellis (who we will miss very much), Ali Rawlinson, Chris Harvey and Richie Harrison.
5th XI player of the season
Shiv Patel (U14) has undoubtedly been the 5s most consistent player in 2023 and once again tops the entire club as leading wicket taker with 65 victims from 165 overs at 7.89. His economy rate is a miserly 3.11 and it is no surprise as to why this is as he wheels away effortlessly with his canny left-arm around action. He is a nagging bowler, dropping the ball fractionally short of a length from an awkward angle when coming into the right-hander, forcing batters to come forward and push at the ball. Shiv always creates pressure and takes most of his wickets by squeezing opposition runs at the critical middle of the innings phase and forcing batsmen into errors.
Shiv also brings exceptional value through his fielding, saving many runs every match at backward point and he has taken some very sharp catches this season, especially off his own bowling.
Off the pitch Shiv is a team guy, always willing to do his bit with the scorebook. Whilst a quiet lad, he is enthusiastic about his cricket and learning about the game. He is a great prospect for Esher CC.
Esher CC 5th XI – 2022 Season – at Imber Court