Spencer CC skipper Neil Baker has reasons to be cheerful after a third consecutive win put them top of the Surrey Championship Division One table.

However, it was a close run thing at Ashtead and it came down to Jim Codling hitting a four off the last ball to seal a one-wicket win.

The hosts had elected to bat, and set Spencer a formidable 249 for victory.

However, Andrew Mawson (51) and Shah Zaib Hassan Khan (55) provided the base and Spencer eventually got over the line, finishing on 251-9.

Baker said: “It was a total we were confident of chasing down on a good wicket and on a small ground.

“We made it difficult for ourselves though. At the teabreak we were 137-2, needing 112 off 25 overs.

“All the hard work had been done, but then Adam and Shah both got out just over 50, and we didn’t really have another partnership – so it was closer than it should have been, but we’re delighted to get another win and we need to keep that going.”

Surrey Comet:

Watching brief: Spencer's Neil Baker, left, and Alex Tudor, get ready behind Ashtead's Danny Miller

He added: “We have a bigger squad than last season, and all the time we are winning the guys are happy and committed to the team.”

Spencer host Malden Wanderers on Saturday, ahead of a trip to Twickenham in the National Knockout Cup.

Baker said: “The cup is a bit of fun to start with, but the further you get the more interesting it becomes.

“But it’s important that we keep that winning mentality.”