West haul in vain as Camberley come up just short.
Another monumental spell from captain Phil West didn't quite prove enough on Saturday as Camberley came up just short at the Bank of England.
West's return of 7-52 from 24 overs included the first seven wickets to fall, but ultimately wasn't quite enough as the final pair survived the last five overs.
James Harrison was the stand out performer with the bat as his 95 led the visitors to a substantial first innings total.
After winning the toss, West decided to open the batting himself, and he and George Crowdy got the away side off to a good start before West was bowled for 15.
BoE had an aggressive opening bowler who made a point of staring down any batsmen who he felt struggled against his pace, but Crowdy took the initiative, hooking him for six in an over that went for 19.
Crowdy looked very impressive he made his way to 39, but a short delivery that kept low proved to be his downfall as he was trapped lbw.
His dismissal brought Jon Cooles to the crease, and he almost departed straight away as he lined up a heave through the leg side. The ill-advised shot caught the outside edge and looped to cover, but the young fielder underneath it proceeded drop the easiest of chances. Cooles went on to make 18 before he was bowled by Matt Cannon. Mac Sayed then came and went for eight and Scott Reeves for nought, as Harrison struggled but knuckled down at the other end. After a pretty dreadful first 40 runs, with most coming through third man, the Camberley number three relaxed into it as he and Alex Boorman put on 86 for the sixth wicket.
Harrison played with renewed confidence after passing fifty, and hit a six and 15 fours before he fell agonisingly short of his century.
Boorman played aggressively for his 30 before his departure sparked the beginning of the end for Camberley's innings as Jordan Gibbs, Chris Pike and Dan Wakeling all succumbed for single figures, leaving Blake Howell as the unbeaten man in Camberley's total of 240 all out.
In reply, BoE got off to a shaky start, with both openers edging between keeper and first slip in the first three overs.
Despite this, they managed to survive the initial tough period, as both West and Gibbs bowled impressive opening spells.
With Camberley needing a moment of inspiration to break the deadlock, it was provided by Sayed as he took a remarkable reaction catch at short leg.
West then doubled his wicket tally shortly after, removing the other opener as Camberley broke the game open.
A partnership of 37 threatened to take the wind out of the visitors sails, but West was having none of it; the one-man wicket machine trapped Tim Hoolahan lbw for 20.
Two balls later another wicket fell, but it will always be remembered for what happened in the aftermath rather than the wicket itself.
Having taken a fairly good catch above his head, Pike threw the ball up in the air and made his way back to his team mates to celebrate. But seemingly out of nowhere, the ball fell out the sky and made a resounding clunk on Pike's head. Cue lots of laughter at his expense.
After the jokes died down, West got right back on his mark, taking three more wickets relatively quickly.
Another superb close catch by Sayed was sandwiched between the Camberley captain hitting the stumps twice, as BoE teeterred on the brink.
Mouthy paceman Kasheef Hassan was then given a taste of his own medicine by Cooles as he was bounced out and caught at fine leg by Boorman, which was followed by a send-off from pretty much every visiting player.
As the game reached crunch time, Gibbs took the wicket his earlier spell deserved, bowling Joe O'Gorman for two, leaving Camberley just one wicket away from what would have been a very well-earned victory.
But despite a time limit extending the innings by five overs, the visitors couldn't prise the final wicket and had to make do with a winning draw.
It was a result that left the away side feeling a little deflated that they couldn't take the last wicket, but should take heart from the fact that they got so close as they face a tough test against East Molesey next week.
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