Having missed most of last year through injury, Chathli began this season with a career-high 95 in the T20 Cup against Hampshire. She also made a match-winning 65 against Warwickshire in the Blast.
With Warwickshire the opponents again in the final, it was Chathli who hit the winning runs in Surrey’s chase.
“I quite like problem-solving,” says Chathli, a chemistry graduate from University College London.
“I used to play chess when I was younger so I enjoy that.
“I’m quite good at reading pitches and the pace of the game.
“I like whacking the ball, but I also really enjoy the tactical side of cricket and getting into a battle with the bowler – what are they trying to do, and what can I do to get the better of them?”
Chathli’s father is Harry Chathli, the public relations and business expert who served as Yorkshire’s chair between October 2023 and May 2024.
Her early introduction to the sport came on family trips to India – her father was born in Mumbai – or when watching him play club cricket.
“It was probably a little bit inevitable,” she says.
In 2016, Chathli made local news headlines when she became the first female player to score a fifty for the men’s teams at Dulwich Cricket Club – a club that has been in existence since 1867.
Her younger brother also scored a fifty in the same match that day, though it later took a turn.
“He smashed the ball straight to extra cover and ran me out,” she laughs. “That’s definitely logged in the memory bank.”
Nine years on, Chathli made her first fifty in The Hundred in Spirit’s win against Birmingham Phoenix earlier this month.
At the other end was Australia superstar and Spirit team-mate Harris, as she was when they took Surrey over the line in that Blast final.
“Grace is funny. She’ll keep it simple and say, ‘If they bowl length, just ramp it; if it’s full, just step back and clear it over the top for six’,” says Chathli.
“It’s nice to know her thought process, but that’s not really my game.
“I’m usually not fussed about milestones, but the fact it was my first [fifty] at the highest level that we have in this country, it’s hard not to be pretty happy.
“It was nice to prove that I can do it on the biggest stage. To be out there with Grace, it was pretty special.”
AN ex-cricket star married to a Thai woman who tragically died in a Waitrose aged just 46 has paid tribute to his “loving” wife.
Duncan Pauline, 64, said he and his wife Wiyada were looking forward to retiring to her home country before her sudden death on Wednesday.
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Wiyada, who died in a Waitrose, was just 46-years-oldCredit: Supplied by husband
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Wiyada and her husband were looking forward to retiring to her home country before her sudden death on WednesdayCredit: Supplied by husband
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Duncan, head coach at Esher Cricket Club, said he will now have to take the ashes of his wife, who was a Buddhist, back to her family in ThailandCredit: Supplied by husband
They had already bought a retirement home and planned to leave the UK in a couple of years, however Duncan will now have to return alone with Wiyada’s ashes.
Wiyada, who was known as ‘Lek’ to her friends – which means small in Thai – collapsed while shopping at the Waitrose in Esher High Street, Surrey.
Duncan told The Sun: “I’m absolutely devastated. She went out to Waitrose at about 5.15pm and then I got a call from one of her friends.
“I went up there expecting she’d had a knock on the head but not that she was dead.
“When I got there the police told me she had passed away.
“She had a cloth over her head and she looked very peaceful when they pulled the cloth off her head.
“She was only 46, it’s a shock that she could go so young. We’ve been married for 22 years and we were due to retire in a couple of years.
“She wanted to go back home to Thailand. We even bought a house in Thailand for our retirement.
“The sad thing is she won’t get to do that now.”
Duncan, head coach at Esher Cricket Club, said he will now have to take the ashes of his wife, who was a Buddhist, back to her family in Thailand.
Holding back his tears, he said: “That won’t be easy.
“I was the one who should have died, not her. I’m a lot older than her and I smoke and drink. I didn’t even think about her going first.”
Duncan said he and his wife had shared 22 brilliant years together.
SHE SAVED MY LIFE
She once saved his life when he ended up in Kingston Hospital with a life-threatening “flesh-eating” condition.
“I got an infection in my foot from a flesh-eating thing in 2014,” he said.
“They had to cut off my leg. I went into a coma and the doctors wanted to turn off the life-support machine.
“She pleaded with them to give me one more day. And during that last day, things started to work again in my body.
“I came out of a coma and I lived. If she hadn’t pleaded with the doctors to give me one more day I would have died.”
Wiyada helped care for Duncan, who now uses a wheelchair, after he lost his leg.
The pair lived together at Esher Cricket Club, where Wiyada would cook Thai food for members.
Paying tribute to his wife, Duncan, a former Surrey County Cricket Club player, said: “She was an all-round good person. Everyone loved her. She will be enormously missed.
“We hardly ever argued – even though we worked together all day.
“She loved cooking for people and she loved the cricket club. We have 750 kids here at the club and she really had fun with them.
“She was a giver. She was always happy and she was such a loving, generous and kind person. She had a tremendous smile.”
Duncan does not know the cause of his wife’s death.
Emergency crews had rushed to the supermarket in Esher, Surrey, at around 6pm on Wednesday after receiving calls of a “concern for safety” at the store.
Both the high street in the town and the Waitrose itself were closed as medics tried to save her life.
Tragically, despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the time of the incident, Surrey Police issued an update to those in the area, saying: “We are currently on scene following a call to a concern for safety in Esher shortly after 6pm this evening (August 20).
“Waitrose on the high street has been closed, and there is a significant emergency services presence in the area as we deal with this incident.”
A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: “Officers were called to Waitrose on Esher High Street shortly after 6pm yesterday evening (August 20) by the South East Coast Ambulance Service, who were responding to a medical emergency at the location.
“Despite the best efforts of paramedics, a woman in her 40s died at the scene.
“Her next of kin have been informed. There was a significant emergency services presence in the area, including police, South East Coast Ambulance Service, and the Air Ambulance Charity Kent, Surrey, Sussex.
“Waitrose was closed to allow emergency services to carry out their work, but has since reopened.”
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with our customer’s family and loved ones.
“Our Partners acted quickly and offered support while the emergency teams arrived.
“We’re now making sure everyone is supported.”
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Tragically, despite the best efforts of emergency services, she was pronounced dead at the sceneCredit: Supplied by husband
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Duncan said he and his wife had shared 22 brilliant years togetherCredit: Supplied by husband
A POLICE force sent undercover cops jogging to expose vile catcallers who target women on their runs.
Two officers from SurreyPolice hit the streets in sportswear to show how often women get harassed while running – and, unsurprisingly, they were “catcalled within minutes”.
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Two undercover cops run to expose how often women are catcalledCredit: LBC
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PC Abby Hayward, who took part in the operation, said catcalling makes her feel ‘diminished’ and ‘uncomfortable’Credit: LBC
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84 per cent of women have been harassed while running, one survey revealed
The operation, first reported by LBC, saw undercover officers jogging through known harassment “hotspots” in Reigate, Surrey during the evening rush hour.
Specialist units were close by, ready to step in if the women faced abuse, Surrey Police said.
The two officers were “targeted within minutes” by a man in a large truck who “honked at them and made gestures out the window”, according to LBC.
“These behaviours may not be criminal offences in themselves, but they need to be addressed,” a spokesperson for the force said.
Inspector John Vale said: “One of our officers was honked at within ten minutes – then another vehicle slowed down, beeping and making gestures just 30 seconds later – that’s how frequent it is.
“Someone slowing down, staring, shouting – even if it’s not always criminal – it can have a huge impact on people’s everyday lives and stops women from doing something as simple as going for a run.
“We have to ask: is that person going to escalate? Are they a sexual offender? We want to manage that risk early.”
PC Abby Hayward, who went undercover, said this kind of sexual harassment was a daily reality for women – and leaves her feeling “diminished” and “uncomfortable”.
She said: “This behaviour is either a precursor to something more serious or it’s ignorance, and it’s fixable.
“That’s where our interventions come in: to stop potential repeat offenders or help people understand that what they’re doing isn’t OK.”
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Surrey Police said its ‘Jog On’ campaign – launched just four weeks ago – has led to 18 arrests, including for sexual assault and theft.
Inspector Vale said: “We know that this kind of harassment is significantly under reported thanks to a study carried out by Surrey County Council this year, which revealed that of 450 female residents surveyed, 49 per cent never reported.
“To date, we have made a number of interventions following reports of harassment of our plain clothes runners.
“In these cases, it was deemed appropriate to provide education around anti-social behaviour.
“For repeat offenders or where the behaviour is more serious, we will robustly pursue all criminal justice outcomes.
“We recognise this is a significant worry for women and girls, and we’ll continue to patrol running routes throughout Redhill.”
He continued: “This type of harassment isn’t just being experienced by communities in Reigate and Banstead, but communities across the whole of Surrey, and it’s unacceptable.
“We have female officers and staff members who have been the subject to such behaviour when off duty.
“The message I would like to impart to perpetrators is this; your actions will not be tolerated.
“Please reflect and ask yourself ‘is this how you would treat or want your partner, mother, sister to be treated?”
“The next time you see a female jogger, just think, they could be a police officer with colleagues nearby ready to stop you. Your behaviour is not welcome in Surrey.”
The campaign faced criticism from the Free Speech Union, who called it a “bizarre social psychology experiment” and urged police to “stop hunting pre-crimes”.
Other forces have also taken steps to tackle the sexual harassment of women runners by men.
In 2022, the Met Police launched a buddy system, with officers accompanying a women’s running club in London.
84 per cent of women have been harassed while jogging, according to a 2021 survey by Runner’s World.
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PC Abby Hayward said that catcalling is a daily reality for womenCredit: LBC
A FLASHY crime lord was snared for a murder plot and major cocaine smuggling racket by his clothes and tattoos featured in selfies he posted from Dubai.
Drug baron James Harding, 34, masterminded a drug empire which made £5 million in profits during a 10-week period.
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James Harding, 34, was the mastermind behind a drug empireCredit: PA
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Harding boasted of the luxury life he was living abroadCredit: PA
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He was arrested at Geneva airport and extradited to the UKCredit: PA
But the vain villain took selfies of himself posing shirtless in front of the mirror flexing his muscles and sitting in supercars while living a life of luxury in the desert kingdom.
Harding sent the photos and messages about his opulent lifestyle to criminal cronies on the EncroChat encrypted mobile phone system believing it was totally secure.
But the swaggering poser’s boasts rebounded on him when the communication network was infiltrated by cyber cops in 2020.
Messages uncovered Harding’s cocaine empire – and his plan to rob and kill a rival drug courier.
Harding was yesterday convicted at the Old Bailey of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and of conspiracy to murder following a heavily-guarded eight-week trial.
His right hand man Jayes Kharouti, 39, earlier admitted the same drug offence and was also found guilty of the murder plot.
Jurors heard how Harding used the EncroChat handle ‘thetopsking,’ while Kharouti went under the tags ‘besttops’ and ‘topsybricks.’
They sent 9,136 messages to each other via EncroChat between March and June 2020, detailing their vast shipments of cocaine from the Netherlands into the UK, where it was distributed across the country.
The pair spelled out how they were laundering their money – as every message was read by Scotland Yard detectives following the penetration of the EncroChat platform by French law enforcement.
Harding, originally from Alton, Hampshire, and his lieutenant Kharouti were making £70,000 every day during the period their phones were being hacked by cops, jurors heard.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson, KC, said the pair were responsible for “approximately 50 importations of cocaine into the UK with a total weight of approximately 1,000 kilograms.”
He went on: “The messages also show that once the cocaine was in the UK, it was broken into smaller parcels, of between 5kg and 10kg, and distributed across the UK to wholesale purchasers, who would then sell to end users.
“An analysis of the messages that discuss money and financial gain suggests that the conspirators made £60-70,000 per importation, and about £5m in profit overall in just 10 weeks.”
The messages also revealed how Harding and Kharouti tried to hire a hitman for £100,000 to rob and kill a drug mule.
Watch ‘movie-style’ masked gang raid to spring Brit drugs boss from custody in Spain while he was being taken to dentist
They arranged a gun and ammunition for a hitman to carry out the “full M” – murder, jurors heard.
Cops moved in and arrested the alleged hitman before the contract murder could be carried out.
Harding claimed in court he was not the EncroChat user known as ‘thetopsking’ – and claimed the handle belonged to a mystery gay lover he identified in court only as ‘TK.’
But cops were able to prove Harding was the ‘thetopsking’ because of his love for selfies and boasts about his luxury lifestyle.
A phone seized from an associate had a video showing Harding in the driver’s seat of a £2.5 million Bugatti Chiron car with a tattoo on his leg clearly visible.
There were pictures of him living it up in his lavish villa at The Nest development in Dubai, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a swimming pool and rooms for maids and drivers.
Harding lived there with Liverpudlian girlfriend Charli Wylde, 33, and her daughter Milly-Mai, 15, who he treated as his own.
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There were photos Harding living it up in Dubai with his £2.5 million BugattiCredit: PA
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The vain villain sent messages of himself sitting in the supercarCredit: PA
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Harding sent messages to his criminal cronies via an encrypted mobile phone systemCredit: PA
The court heard that on May 6, 2020, EncroChat user ‘thetopsking’ boasted to pals how he was taking his “Mrs” out that evening to Zuma, an award-winning Japanese restaurant in Dubai.
Investigations found that two days earlier Harding made the booking from a personal email account.
And eight days later ‘thetopsking’ boasted in messages how he was staying at the five-star Waldorf hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, and sent an image of the hotel pool area via EncroChat.
Mr Atkinson said: “Enquiries with the Hilton Hotel Group showed that Harding stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in the United Arab Emirates and gave (his) mobile telephone number and produced a UAE identification card.
“During the stay, thetopsking had sent an image of James Harding relaxing on a sun lounger at, of all places, the Waldorf.”
One March 26 2020, thetopsking also wrote a message about how he had got back a Lamborghini Urus and sent an image of the dashboard.
Mr Atkinson said: “The person who took the image caught their leg in the photograph, and on that leg is a tattoo which matches the tattoo on James Harding’s leg.”
Kharouti’s home in Epsom, Surrey, was searched in 2020 after he was linked to the messages.
Police found a handset with the same number he gave to Harding.
He fled the country before being found in Turkey and extradited back to the UK.
Harding was arrested on 27 December 2021 at Geneva Airport, Switzerland, and from there Switzerland to the UK the following May.
The pair will be sentenced on Thursday.
Met Detective Chief Inspector Jim Casey, said: “This conviction sends a clear message – no matter how sophisticated the methods, criminals cannot hide behind encrypted software.
“This operation dismantled a major supply chain and is a testament to the relentless work of our officers.
“We monitored their drug-dealing activity but then we saw the group discussing the contract killing of a rival.
“We moved fast to protect those in danger.”
“Harding and Kharouti planned to kill, we stopped that and put them before the courts.”
Harding was previously jailed for nine years when he was aged 21 for running a drug racket.
Previously, Calvin Crump, 29, of Redhill, Surrey, was jailed for 13 years and six months while Khuram Ahmed, 38, of Slough, Berkshire, got 15-and-half-years after admitting conspiracy to smuggle cocaine.
Peter Thompson, 61, of South-West London, received 21 years after he pleaded guilty to the same drug charge and possessing a pistol.
A man alleged to have been the gang’s proposed hitman was cleared.
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The drug kingpin made £5 million in profits in a 10 week periodCredit: PA
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Packages of drugs smuggled in 2020Credit: PA
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Harding’s right hand man, Jayes Kharouti. fled to Turkey before being returned to the UKCredit: PA
Looking to win this competition for the first time, Surrey were always on top of Sussex from the moment Will Jacks (43) and Dom Sibley (45) hammered a 52-run opening stand from the opening five overs.
Although the tournament’s third-highest run scorer, Jason Roy was out for a two-ball duck but Sam Curran took up the mantle with 38 before Ollie Sykes provided some late fireworks.
The 20-year-old, playing only his eighth game in this format for Surrey, thrashed four sixes and two fours for a career-best 44 not out.
The target of 211 always looked out of reach for the visitors as the home side’s powerful bowling attack of Reece Topley (3-34) and Tom Curran (2-24) took three early wickets between them to reduce Sussex to 14-3.
Tom Clark (45) and Danny Lamb (49) offered brief resistance for Sussex, but with Mitchell Santner (3-26) and Chris Jordan (1-35) also among the wickets Surrey’s latest win sends out a clear warning to the rest of the teams in the competition.
Having been the surprise package to win the competition for the first time last year, Gloucestershire have endured a miserable defence so far, losing their opening five matches, but victory at Kent keeps alive their slim hopes of making it out of the South Group.
Once again it was Ajeet Singh Dale who impressed with the ball as he picked up his second successive three-wicket haul (3-24) to help limit Kent to 157-9 after they had chosen to bat.
Fresh from a stunning century against Somerset on Sunday, Daniel Bell-Drummond (3) became one of Singh Dale’s victims and the home side were indebted to Tawanda Muyeye (33), Harry Finch (42) and captain Sam Billings (38) but they could only add 34 runs from their final five overs.
Gloucestershire made the run chase look comfortable by winning with 10 balls to spare but not before the weather caused a brief stoppage.
After hammering a six, D’Arcy Short (33) found the sun shining straight into his eyes and the umpires took the players off the pitch until it had disappeared behind the stands.
The break did not change the direction of the match as Ollie Price (41*) and skipper Jack Taylor (54*) came together to share an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 98 and finally get off the mark.
After being asked to bat first, Sibley and Jacks reached 59-0 at the end of the six-over powerplay, but the stand was broken on 74 in the eighth over when Jacks cut Benny Howell to Liam Dawson for 41 from 24 balls.
In-form Jason Roy was run out following some fine work from the sprawling James Vince after scoring seven from 13 balls, having amassed 258 in his previous five knocks.
With his side 96-2 in the 12th over, Sibley got back to work and brought up his half-century from 32 balls but after adding 42 from 27 balls with Curran, he eventually fell for 70 off 46 balls to a diving catch from James Fuller at mid-on after toe-ending one off Scott Currie (2-36).
Curran and Laurie Evans added 34 from the next 13 deliveries before Curran skied Fuller to Vince to depart for a 20-ball 38 with two overs remaining.
Evans was caught by Dewald Brevis off Currie in the final over for 19 off 10 balls, and the visitors closed on 193-6 with Tom Curran run out off the final ball for 10.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius clipped Sam Curran off his pads for a six from the third ball of Hampshire’s reply and showcased his power with 14 off Reece Topley’s first over on his return to the Surrey side.
However, the South African fell in tame fashion in the fourth over, trying a reverse sweep only to top-edge to Topley (2-24) off Jacks for 28 from 19 balls.
Hawks skipper Vince (9) followed him in the following over, looping Topley to Chris Jordan at mid-on, and Toby Albert inside-edged Nathan Smith behind to Evans as the hosts were 45-3 at the end of the powerplay.
Brevis welcomed Kiwi spinner Mitch Santner with two sixes in three balls, but the game looked up when he holed out to Smith in the deep off Jordan to depart for 16 from 10 balls with 120 runs still needed from 11 overs.
Jordan (2-17) picked up his second wicket when Joe Weatherley’s promising knock ended as he pulled one to Ollie Sykes on 27, while Fuller (11) looped Santner to Jacks, and Liam Dawson (1) chipped Topley to Curran to leave the Hawks 98-7 in the 14th over.
Santner bowled Chris Wood (3) to end with 2-36, and Smith had Benny Howell (10) caught by Roy and John Turner (4) hole out to Jordan to finish with figures of 3-18 as the Hawks were bundled out with 13 balls to spare.
With the prospect of weather playing a part, Hampshire won the toss and asked Surrey to bat first.
Dom Sibley cracked James Fuller over the ropes as Surrey put on 18 from the opening two overs of seam but South African spinner Bjorn Fortuin, making his debut in place of Liam Dawson, tempted Sibley into sweeping straight to John Turner for 13 in the third.
Jason Roy began to warm up as the hosts reached 43-1 at the end of the six-over powerplay but Currie tempted Ollie Pope into stepping across his stumps and trying to scoop, only to nick straight into the hands of keeper Albert and depart for 11. Pope has now made 25 runs across three games opening the batting and left his side 51-2 from eight overs.
Roy was joined by skipper Sam Curran but his side were 64-2 at the midway point as the Hawks bowlers slowed their progress – limiting the hosts to just 10 boundaries and four sixes across the 20 overs.
The pressure told as Roy tried to take Turner over the mid-wicket boundary, only to find Joe Weatherley just inside the rope and depart for 37 to leave his side 67-3 in the 12th over – though Roy finished as his side’s leading scorer for the third straight game.
Laurie Evans and Curran struggled to get to grips with the Hawks attack and Surrey were 91-3 with five overs remaining, though both cut loose in Turner’s final over, with Curran launching back-to-back sixes to make it 21 runs from five balls before miscuing the final ball into the sky for Vince to catch and send Curran packing for 34 from 25 balls.
Tom Curran picked out Weatherley with a skier to deep square off Wood (2-27) and Ollie Sykes was caught by Currie for one three balls later while Weatherley picked up his third catch to dismiss Chris Jordan for eight off Currie (2-17) to end the 19th over.
Roy put down a sharp chance at second slip off the opening ball of the reply from Dan Worrall, giving Albert another life, but the Surrey bowlers kept the Hawks in check until the rain began to fall
The final over of the powerplay, Sam Curran’s first, cost 16 runs amid some errant fielding and saw the Hawks reach 50-0.
With 10 wickets in hand, Hawks were well ahead of the DLS rate of 48 when they were eventually called off after 8.2 overs with the score 63-0.
Vince finished unbeaten on 33 from 28 deliveries with Albert on 28 from 22 at the other end as the Hawks picked up just their second T20 win over Surrey in the past 11 meetings.
He denied wrongdoing and accused the person behind the allegation of attempted extortion.
Yesterday Surrey Police confirmed there was insufficient evidence to proceed over claims of rape.
Mr Blunt, who stood down as MP for Reigate last year, remains under investigation for drug possession.
A second man, in his 50s, is being investigated for the same alleged offence.
A Surrey Police spokeswoman said: “An investigation was launched following a report of rape in October 2023.
“Extensive enquiries have been carried out and a man in his 60s and a man in his 50s were arrested on 25 October 2023 in Horley in connection with the offence.
“It has since been determined that there is insufficient evidence to proceed and that no further action will be taken against either of the men in relation to the report of rape.
“However, both men will remain under investigation on suspicion of possession of controlled substances pending further enquiries.
“Enquiries into this matter are ongoing.”
Crispin Blunt confirms he’s Tory MP arrested over rape allegation and says he’s been interviewed twice by cops
