OJ PITCHER crowned his last days in the Surrey County League with a solid all-round performance as Pyrford clinched promotion in resounding fashion at the weekend.

Pitcher took two sharp gully catches, claimed one wicket and was still at the crease on 22 not out when a five-wicket defeat of Kingstonian, their only title rivals, was completed on Saturday.

The triumph exorcised memories of a demoralising eight-wicket thrashing in the League Cup on June 1, with Pitcher and Roland Butcher, in particular, getting their own back on Aamir Nazir, the former Pakistan fast bowler.

It was Nazir, who claimed a record 85 wickets in the Surrey Championship third division with Ashtead last season, who was the scourge of Pyrford in their previous meeting when he claimed five early wickets en route to rolling over Pyrford for 88.

On Saturday, it was another Pakistani, Nadeem Afzaal, Pyrford's overseas professional, who stole the show. Afzaal, bowling a lively fast-medium, according to Chris Foggo, took five wickets in an "unplayable" 14-ball sequence before eventually settling for six as Kingstonian recovered from an amazing 16 for seven to finish 93 all out.

"Aamir Nazir came in at number nine and swiped a few runs with good support from the other tail-enders," Foggo said. "Nadeem was really unplayable. At one stage, we thought we would have them all out for 30 or 40."

Needing five points to clinch promotion going into the match, Pyrford knew that the season's objective was confirmed with five bonus points accrued once Kingstonian were dismissed. But, as they went on to win the match, bonus points, which affect the standings only in the event of drawn matches and defeats, were not to become an issue. "There was a big celebration at the end," Foggo added, "and we had a nice barbecue."

Pyrford now hold a commanding, 32-point lead over Kingstonian with three matches left and should complete a fine season as first division champions.

For Pitcher, though, the journey is over. He returned to Bermuda on Tuesday evening to resume his studies and will do so with fond memories and with the confidence that he can make a significant contribution to the St. David's defence of the Eastern Counties Cup. "This has been a good experience," Pitcher said earlier in the week. "It was great to be playing players who had experience of playing in Test matches and seeing how well you could do against them."

The finest memories were the most recent, Pitcher's highlight being the three fours hit off Nazir in one over on Saturday. "He (Nazir) was definitely the best and fastest we have faced. But he can also bring out the best in you."

Pitcher and Butcher were joined with Pyrford in a spot of bother at 50 for five, with Foggo having been bowled by the Pakistani for 11. But the pair settled the match with Butcher, whose 30 not out included a pulled six off Nazir, in imperious form.

Foggo will remain in England for Pyrford's matches against Carshalton & Croydon Gas, Frimley and Haslemere to close the league season but there is still much to play for. The St. David's and Bermuda wicketkeeper-batsman will feature with BWIA in the Western Union Trophy semi-finals against Lambeth Enterprises at the neutral venue of Ford's Sports Club in Newbury Park, Essex. At stake is a trip to Headingley, the Test venue, for the final on September 29.

Atherstone Town were dragged back into the relegation mire in the Warwickshire Cricket League first division after a shattering, four-wicket defeat at home to Coleshill, the second-placed club. After recording their highest score of the season, 254 for six in 50 overs, including 66 from Noel Gibbons, Atherstone were powerless to stop Coleshill closing the gap on the leaders Dorridge, who were idle, to 26 points.

Of more significant concern to Atherstone, was that Aston Manor, who are tenth in the 11-team league, moved to within 12 points of them with a game in hand after an 87-run win over Bronze. "We know that there is a chance that we can get relegated but we haven't played that badly," Gibbons insisted. "Where we're struggling is that we're probably short of a bowler. That, and it seems that every dropped catch comes back to haunt us."

Ryan Steede, who has been the club's leading bowler in his first season away from Wellington Oval, took one for 49 from 14 overs on Saturday but will need a beefier return with imposed matches coming up against Berkswell and Dorridge. "There is light at the end of the tunnel," Gibbons added. "We just haven't found it yet."

The dream of a place in the Surrey Championship second division next season is well and truly dead for Southern Railway after a two-wicket loss away to Ripley. Railway made 234 for six declared in 55 overs and lacked the killer instinct at the death, with one catch missed, not to mention three strong appeals being turned down for a catch behind and two run-outs.

Yours Truly made 28 before being given leg-before sweeping, the first highly debatable decision to go against me in two years here.

It came at a vital stage as the opening stand was 69 at five an over before the scoring rate dropped. It did not help, too, that the captain was forced to retire hurt on 58 with a suspected pinched nerve in his back that precluded him from fielding.

Railway, presently eighth in the 20-team league, will be officially eliminated from the promotion equation should Old Wimbledonians, the second-placed team who won for the first time in four weeks on Saturday, gain another point. The harsh reality is that the planning will have to start now for next season, with the remaining three matches an ideal time to have a look at second XI players.

Thus the weekend ended sadly on a personal note, after scoring 94 for The Mote against Chinghoppers last Thursday. A century was there for the taking, having lunched at 72, but I was starved of the strike in the hour after resumption and played a sweep shot, again, that presented a simple catch for the wicketkeeper, via my glove.

The match ended in a draw as, after declaring at 277 for four, we failed to take advantage of early wickets and the club from Essex closed on 207 for seven, the opening bat using seven of his nine lives, five before reaching fifty, in making an unbeaten century. What a week!