Cricket: Lodwick innings crucial in depleted Dulwich seeing off Walton-on-Thames

A dynamic unbeaten innings by stand-in skipper Jon Lodwick, well-supported by keeper Michael Harms, saw a depleted Dulwich side, lacking four first-team regulars, pull off an astonishing four-wicket victory in the last over of their Surrey Championship Division 1 match at home to Walton-on-Thames, writes John Lewis.

The visitors won the toss and raced away at a rate of five an over despite the loss of two early wickets to Harvey Booth.

Kaif Ramzan joined the attack, and picked up the third wicket to make it 62-3 after 13 overs.

Lodwick brought himself on for the 16th over and struck in each of his first two overs to reduce Walton to 80-5 in the 18th over. Only 10 runs came off the next five overs before Ramzan claimed his second wicket to make it 90-6 in the 23rd over. A spell of eight overs for just 21 runs by Salaar Waqar kept the batsmen in check, but it was Jack Oughtred who took the next wicket with a return catch to make it 123-7 in the 32nd over.

Hopes that Dulwich would be able to mop up the tail quickly were thwarted by Chris Cole and Evan Beck, who added 47 in 10 overs before Booth returned to bowl Cole with the first ball of the 42nd over.

Ramzan picked up his third wicket to make it 171-9, but Dulwich were again thwarted as Beck and Ben Monk put together an unbeaten partnership of 41 for the last wicket to take Walton to 212-9 after their 50 overs. Booth finished with 3-50 off 10 overs, Ramzan had 3-39 off his 10, and Lodwick 2-28 off nine.

The Dulwich reply got off to a disastrous start when overseas player Apoorv Wankhade was caught behind off the last ball of the first over. With the rest of last week’s top five all unavailable, this brought together Tom Bishop and Moin Khan, both playing just their second innings for the first team.

They proved up to the task, adding 78 in 22 overs for the second wicket before both gave return catches with the score on 83. Khan had led the way with 39 off 70 balls, while Bishop made 29 off 72.

Ramzan and Harms came together with the score on 83 in the 24th over. The pair added 39 in 10 overs for the fourth wicket, with Ramzan leading the way with 25 off 28 balls. Waqar went for a single to make it 130-5 after 36 overs, leaving 83 required off 14 overs.

Harms and Booth added 35 in 8.3 overs for the sixth wicket before Booth fell for 23. Lodwick joined Harms with 48 needed off 5.3 overs. Three singles completed the over, but the next four overs yielded 11, nine, 11 and 12 runs respectively as Lodwick laid into the tiring pace bowlers.

Lodwick hit a boundary off the first ball of the last over to secure the victory. His 35 had come from just 18 balls and contained two fours and three sixes. Harms finished with 44 not out off 77 balls.

No team in the division has won both of their completed matches. Dulwich are fifth, level on points with three other clubs. Next week they travel to Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians, who are in ninth place but only one point behind.