Banstead skipper Jak Martin reckons the thought of a 13 point deduction costing his men the title is behind their drive towards the summit of the Surrey Championship Premier division.

Martin’s side crushed struggling Malden Wanderers by six wickets on Saturday to move into third place - only five points behind joint-leaders Reigate Priory and Wimbledon.

Banstead were docked points for fielding an unregistered player when batsman Tom Lancefield was called up to the Surrey squad for the LV= Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire last month.

Lancefield has since gone on to make telling contributions in Friends Provident t20 clashes with Somerset and Glamorgan, as his club has gone from to strength in the Premier Division.

And Martin, himself enjoying a productive year for the Oxford Universities MCC team, is determined not let his star man’s success ruin his side’s season.

“Tom got a late call up and we just brought up someone to field from the second team and didn’t realise he wasn’t registered,” he said.

“No-one is to blame. It is just one of those that just slipped our mind.

“It could come back to haunt us, but I think we will be alright. We are all pretty driven to finish as high up in the league as possible and that could mean winning it.”

Banstead’s form is in stark contrast to last season when they were contemplating relegation at this stage of the season and only managed to survive on the last day of the campaign.

They beat Wimbledon then - ironically with the help of 94 from Lancefield - and Martin reckons that experience has been telling for his squad of youngsters this time around.

“We are in a very, very good position this year which is a massive change from 12 months ago,” he added.

“We are another year older and have another year’s experience of Premier League cricket and that has been the key difference.

“The recruitment of Ali Jaffer as a number three batsman has also paid off and given us greater depth to our batting.”

Second-placed Wimbledon and leaders Reigate meet at the weekend, with Banstead travelling to stuggling Guildford and Martin believes it is set up for his side to go top.

“All the games are must win games for us,” he said.

“If we can get 13 points and the other two draw it will blow the whole thing open.”

Fixtures: Ashtead v Sutton, Guildford v Banstead, Malden Wanderers v Weybridge, Reigate Priory v Wimbledon, Sunbury v Cobham Avorians.