MAY had been very good for Churt. June, whoever she is, hasn’t been as kind to date, Churt losing both the toss and their unbeaten record to Stoke D’Abernon in the Surrey Championship Division Four top-of-the-table match.

Churt were duly put in on a two-paced wicket and a short-pitched delivery from Toby Tarrant accounted for Arran Higgins without a run on the board. Will Hucker and Toby Finneran put on 31 in a watchful partnership, but Churt had stumbled to 85-5 in the 27th over when Ben Mitchell and Dan Higgins came together.

The captain was content to play second fiddle to the explosive Mitchell and the pair added 70 in the next 16 overs. Mitchell, having hit 70 off 83 balls, including three sixes, was then caught off a Dan Gluckman long-hop and Higgins was run out in a colossal mix-up, with both batsmen standing at the non-striker’s end.

At 173-9 in the 51st over, the visitors were well short of a competitive total, but the tail wagged in great style as Robbie Chhabra and Josh Williams added 36 undefeated runs to lift Churt to 209-9 from 55 overs. Chhabra blasted 42 not out off 21 balls, including two sixes and five fours.

Churt had something to bowl at and they got an early breakthrough, Greg Talbot having Ian Hopton well taken by Mitchell at second slip. However, D’Abernon skipper James Trower and James O’Gorman put on 69 against somewhat uninspired bowling and fielding.

Mitchell broke the stand at 89, but James Whitmarsh (82 off 59 balls) was allowed to score freely as the home side accelerated to 130. Trower went for 72 and only then did Churt become energized. Hucker took a superb diving catch and Whitmarsh was pouched by Dan Higgins at silly mid-off to give Mitchell his third wicket.

But nothing can detract from how much better Stoke were and they cantered to a five-wicket victory in the 41st over.

Churt, after a lacklustre display, will aim to put things right this Saturday, away to Woking & Horsell.