Just 11 points divide the top six teams heading into Saturday’s finale, from Wimbledon at the summit to defending champions East Molesey just below halfway, a remarkable finish to the new-look league. Who will be holding the trophy at the end of the day?

Ashtead v Wimbledon

Centuries from James Crosthwaite and Jack Boyle put leaders Wimbledon in command at Ashtead – but they walked away losers thanks to Surrey’s Adam Thomas making 93no, giving Ashtead a real chance of snatching glory.

The visitors lost Tim Lloyd to the fourth ball of the match but 0-1 became 222-1 as Crosthwaite (124) and Kiwi Boyle – whose 143 put him to within 12 runs of being the Premier’s leading scorer this season – dominated proceedings.

But once they were separated, Ashtead fought back well in containing their opponents to 322-8 from 50 overs, Billy Sewell’s 12 the next highest score.

Left-arm spinner Tom Homes’s 3-31 from ten overs was a fine performance and its value became all the more apparent. With rain approaching, the hosts knew that staying ahead of the DLS score was vital, Thomas – who scored his maiden List A century against Derbyshire last month – putting on 68 with opening partner Mark Stoneman (37) and seeing his side to 162-2 from 29 overs when the bad weather arrived. That put them three ahead of the target to claim 20 points, Wimbledon having to settle for five and a second defeat in eight days.

They remain four ahead, so victory over Spencer at home on Saturday would earn them the title. Ashtead, who won four matches in August and tied the other, have done remarkably well given their inconsistent form in the opening half of the season and having seen Kiwi all-rounder Simon Keene have to depart with three matches remaining.

Spencer v Reigate Priory

A week after reviving their title hopes with a last-ball victory at Wimbledon, Priory suffered a huge blow to them just up the road in Wandsworth, losing by 13 runs (DLS).

Spencer were threatened with the drop until what has become a run of three victories and they could yet have a further say in the battle at the top this weekend.

Having been sent in, they reached 264-7 thanks to Jack Scriven’s unbeaten 75, which included five sixes, Hugo Darby making 45 early on and Harry Allinson contributing 42. George Ealham finished with 3-37 from nine.

Launched by an opening stand of 54 between Richie Oliver (62) and Surrey’s Ollie Sykes (25), Reigate’s reply was interrupted by three showers, eventually becoming 239 from 44, and they lost momentum along the way despite Tom Massey’s 30. Harry McInley, their last-ball hero a week earlier, attempted to rescue the cause with 27no from 19 but seamer Ollie Bocking’s 4-36 from nine proved vital as they faded to 225-9. That yielded six points, closing the gap at the top by one, but left Reigate needing to beat Sunbury and hoping Wimbledon slip up again.

Sutton v East Molesey

A third successive defeat hasn’t quite finished Sutton’s title prospects, while East Molesey could yet pinch top spot.

Having spent so much of the campaign in the top two, Sam Seadon’s side have faded badly in the final stretch but were hoping to complete a double over the Moles.

That never looked likely to happen, Michael Shean (43) and Sam Burge (40) getting East Molesey off to a speedy start of 78 from 14.5 overs before Tom Cullen (51) and Jamie Southgate (35), topped it up to reach 222-5.

Cheam Road was probably driest place in Surrey on Saturday, rain falling for just three minutes, but Sutton were soon holed below the waterline as they slipped to 33-3 following Andy Westphal’s triple breakthrough.

Josh Blake, back from Surrey duty, did his best to patch up the hull with 35, Dan Peall making 33 and Harry Gardner 25 but off-spinner Jamie Southgate’s 4-18 in seven finished off the hosts for 160.

That left Sutton needing to win at Esher while the top three slip up but East Molesey have a more complicated route to claim the title, requiring victory over Dulwich plus defeats for Wimbledon, Reigate and Sutton and a washout between Banstead and Ashtead.

Dulwich v Banstead

Ruthless Banstead brushed aside Dulwich to land an early victory which keeps them in with an outside chance of the title.

They need to beat Ashtead and the other three teams above them to lose after reaping the rewards of a quickfire victory in south London.

Already-relegated Dulwich were dismissed for 113 in 24.1 overs after being sent in, Tommy Wright’s 19 the highest score as Harri Aravinthan claimed 3-33 while Surrey’s Nathan Barnwell, Paul Byrne and Arsalan Abbas all finished with two.

Banstead weren’t hanging around for the weather to turn against them either, Arjun Gill’s 72no from 60 balls sewing up victory by seven wickets in just 19 overs.

It was Dulwich’s sixth successive defeat in what has proved a sobering season at Premier level.

Sunbury v Esher

It was the clash which should have decided who went down but rain arrived too early for even a DLS conclusion, handing both sides 10 points.

That leaves Esher in the greatest danger of relegation, trailing Sunbury by 13 points, leaving them needing to beat Sutton on Saturday and hoping their rivals lose without picking up many bonus points.

One of Sunbury’s best batting displays of a decidedly indifferent season saw them cruise to 333-6 after being sent in, Sam Burgess (63) and Rajan Soni (47) setting sail in an alliance of 104. That foundation allowed Stuart Van der Merwe’s 73 from 65 and Ollie Pascall’s 88no from 63 – both hitting seven fours and four sixes – to give the hosts a formidable total to defend.

They needed it too, three rain breaks seeing the target revised to 223 from 30 and the visitors looking good bets for it thanks to Justin Broad – the Northants all-rounder – making 42no and Ollie Hunt, who made his List A debut for Surrey last month, being 32no.

But the match was washed out with Esher at 81-0 from 12.1 overs, giving them a nervy week to consider survival prospects.

Final round: Banstead v Ashtead; East Molesey v Dulwich; Esher v Sutton; Reigate Priory v Sunbury; Wimbledon v Spencer.

Best of the rest

One point will be enough to ensure Guildford’s return to the elite – but the rest of the promotion picture has got almost as complicated as the Premier Division.

Olly Birts’s side could have ensured they would make an immediate return by beating Walton but Dan Roberts (34), Pratyush Ramesh (48), Rhythm Bedi (33), Matthew Murray (50no) and Evan Beck (30) kept the leaders waiting in making 227-9, Birts and fellow spinner Will Arney taking three wickets apiece.

Two rain breaks left the hosts chasing a DLS-adjusted 192 from 35 before the weather closed in for a final time as 14-0 from two overs, sending Guildford off to Malden Wanderers to complete their quest. Taking five wickets or reaching 150 would bring the bonus point required while four would send them up as champions.

Weybridge remain in second place, 17 points adrift, after a complete washout at Valley End, a result which secured survival for the hosts and confirmed Cranleigh’s second drop in three seasons.

They will host Normandy on Saturday, who are three points behind and looked good bets to overpower Cranleigh when the visitors were in dire trouble at 20-4. Finlay Yates (34) and Callum Kent (42) held things up initially but the hosts might still have beaten them and the weather had they prevented Harry Conway (15no) and Will Hamblin (22no) putting on 47 for the last wicket as Cranes saw out their 50 overs at 184-9.

The first weather intervention saw Normandy’s target adjusted to 171 from 42, Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber (37no) powering them to 42-1 from five before the washout.

But Saturday’s clash between Weybridge and Normandy has become rather more complicated – should Weybridge win, they will go up. But Normandy now find themselves behind Beddington, who drew level on points but have more wins, after speedily disposing of Malden Wanderers.

They were delayed by Andrew Carson making 92 out of 153 all out, Yusuf Afzal’s 15 the next best and Shamar Anderson claiming 4-35.

But Beddington precluded any weather issues by knocking off the runs in just 14 overs, a nine-wicket victory owed to Aamir Raza (56), Akshay Pillalamarri (51no) and Essan Warner (38no), their fourth in five August outings.

They take the long trip to Camberley, who became already-relegated Oxted & Limpsfield’s first victims of a torrid season, going down by 62 runs (DLS).

Old Hamptonians were another side to benefit from an early finish in Division Two, rushing out Chipstead, Couldson & Walcountians for 58 and charging to their target in 6.1 overs to win by nine wickets. That saw them overtake Horsley & Send – washed out against Addiscombe – and be favourites to join confirmed champions Old Rutlishians.

League placings at week 17/18

Premier Division: 1 Wimbledon 241; 2 Reigate Priory 238; 3 Ashtead 234; 4 Sutton 231; 5 Banstead 230; 6 East Molesey 230; 7 Spencer 219; 8 Sunbury 176; 9 Esher 163; 10 Dulwich 122 (R).

Division 1 – promotion zone: 1 Guildford; 2 Weybridge. Relegation zone: 9 Cranleigh (R); 10 Oxted & Lmpsfld (R). Division 2 – promotion zone: 1 Rutlishians (P); 2 Hamptonians. Relegation zone:  8 Cheam (R); 9 Stoke d’Abernon (R); 10 Wimbledonians (R).

Sunday supplement

A devastating 6-48 from Andy Westphal mowed down Sunbury and sent East Molesey into the final of the Conference Cup.

They will take on Essex side Hornchurch – who they beat last year on the way to lifting the Bertie Joel Trophy – at Bishop’s Stortford on Sunday September 14.

Moles had a classy 77 from Tom Cullen to thank for making 248-9 from 45, Sam Burge (43) having given the visitors a speedy start, Westphal’s 24 helping the former Glamorgan batter in an eighth wicket alliance of 54.

With ball in hand, he proved even more potent, a pitch which had been full of runs a day earlier offering some help to a seamer who missed the whole of last season following knee surgery. Westphal has taken 30 league wickets this year but was at his best on Sunday, topping his display with a fine bail-trimmer to bowl Ollie Pascall for 31. Young pacer Louis Simonds-Gooding mopped up the rest to finish with 4-13 from 3.4.