Walton skipper Matt Haddow has revealed how a little bit of tough love has left his men on the brink of a Surrey Championship Division One return.

Haddow’s Division Two leaders beat promotion rivals Old Rutlishians by three wickets in a thriller on Saturday to move 70 points clear of second-placed Epsom.

The result means Walton could secure promotion with a win over Esher on Saturday and leave them requiring just a few points to claim the title.

Things might have been different had Shaun Cox, below, not returned to form after being dropped for two games in June, to smash his first century for the club – 118 not out – and get his side past Old Ruts’ 223 for eight at the weekend with five balls to spare.

“Shaun is our classiest batsman and is my vice captain, but I couldn’t get him in the side earlier in the year,” said Haddow.

“But he came back in, scored a half century on his return and has not looked back.

“He has bags of talent, but has often struggled to get past 30 runs, so I am really pleased for him.

“We needed 40-odd off the last four or five overs, but he and James Newell went berserk and got us over the line in the last over.

“It has been the story of our season, but someone has always stepped up when we have needed them.”

Elmbridge cricket is in rude health at present with Weybridge and East Molesey second in the Premier Division and Division One tables, respectively.

And 32-year-old Haddow, right, believes a return to the second tier of the Surrey Championship would be just reward for the club’s efforts.

“We have always seen ourselves as a Division One club and we are set up that way,” he said.

“We’d love to win the league. Hardly any of our players have been involved in a proper promotion campaign and this would be a reward for those older players.

“We were relegated six years ago and promotion has been my plan for the last three years.

“We’ve got the youngsters in and it is paying dividends and it would mean a lot to get there.

“But we will only celebrate properly when it is done.”

He added: “It is great that cricket in Elmbridge is doing so well, but it it is going to make player recruitment for next season much more difficult.”

Weybridge have five games to claim what would be a remarkable Surrey Championship Premier Division title triump.

Skipper Sarel Erwee’s men won by 45 runs at Sutton on Saturday to avenge their opening day defeat to the same team and move up to second in the table.

Weybridge have won eight of their past 10 games to stand 51 points adrift of runaway leaders Sunbury, 
but with 20 points for a win that advantage could yet be slashed very quickly in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Joel Pope’s 61 saw Weybridge post 239 all out at Sutton before Jack Winslade (3-49) and Francois Vainker (3-67) starred to dismiss their hosts for 194.

Meanwhile, anything Australian leg spinner Adam Zampa can do, Jason Moore can do better for East Molesey.

Zampa quit Graburn Way last week for Australia’s A tour to India having claimed 53 league wickets and season’s best figures of 6-25.

But any fear skipper Sam Burge had of his Surrey Championship Division One promotion-chasing side faltering were dispelled by Moore’s 7-61 that secured an eight-wicket home win over struggling Camberley.

Moore’s exploits dismissed the visitors for 201 before Molesey, up to second in the table, knocked off the runs through Robbie Heald  and Jonty Hadfield’s unbeaten 148-run third wicket stand.

Opener Moore had earlier thrown in a run-a-ball 30 for good measure.