Cil van der Merwe’s enterprising 68 underpinned Malden Wanderers’ 21-run victory in a tight, rain-interrupted affair at Cranleigh, writes Steve Morgan.

The keeper – who also took two catches and a stumping – scored more than half the Stags’118 all out from 48.4 overs, with only Giles Puckle (17) and skipper James Wackett (16) following him into double figures.

A break of an hour for rain slowed the outfield considerably, as well as making conditions very difficult for the bowlers, but a fine spell from 16 year-old Rafeh Jafri – who made his Surrey’s second string debut earlier in the week – removed both openers with the score at 37 to give the visitors a sniff.

Jafri (3-20), abetted by seamer Neil Mander (3-25) and left-armer Giles Puckle (4-27) zipped through the home side’s defences, with only Bruno Broughton (25) offering any real lower-order resistance as they slipped from 61 for four to 97 all out.

Wackett admitted conditions had been far from ideal. “It was a shambolic game,” he said.

“Both teams batted terribly, but we held our nerve at the end.”

Wanderers are 20 points off second placed East Molesey and head to struggling Chipstead, Coulsdon and Walcountians on Saturday.