East Molesey skipper Sam Burge has hailed his team for completing the job star leg spinner Adam Zampa started.

The 23-year-old Australian claimed 53 Surrey Championship Division Two scalps in only 12 matches to help Burge’s men secure second place in the table and a return to the top flight after relegation in 2013.

He missed the last six games of the campaign – which featured five wins – and Burge insisted it was a team effort that got his men over the line.

Batsman Robbie Heald smashed 469 runs at an average of 67 in the second half of the season, while Simon Barrett opened the campaign with 300 runs in seven innings at an average of 50.

Wickets have come from Andrew Westphal (22), Henry Glynn (19), Jason Moore (18), Dominic Reed (18) and Jack Miller (17), while Burge chipped in with 467 runs – including a crucial 61 in partnership with Heald (60) during Saturday’s 25 run win at Banstead.

As such, the Graburn Way captain believes his side can be confident of flourishing in the Premier Division next term – with or without Zampa.

“Adam is clearly destined for bigger things,” he said after his side sealed promotion by 18 points ahead of third placed Cranleigh.

“If he came back to England to play club cricket next summer, it would be with us – if he isn’t offered a county contract somewhere.

“He was a massive part o four success and finished as the league leading wicket taker, despite only playing 12 games.

“It would be very easy to say that without him we would not have been promoted..

“But there have been some guys who have really stepped up – like Robbie Heald – in the last five games to get us there.”

He added: “We are going to find it tough to attract players, because we are not the sort of club that throws money around.

“We need to get hold of a couple of batters for next season, to help us stay in games.

“But Simon Barrett, who left us to go to Australia, will come back and be like a new signing.

“The likes of Andrew Westphal and Robbie will not be at university, so we should have them the whole season.

“It has been pleasing to see the younger players come through and establish themselves this year and already we have a squad capable of doing well next year.”

Cranleigh’s 19-run defeat at champions Ashtead meant East Molesey – who edged to 213 for nine after being asked to bat first– did not need to beat their hosts.

But Burge was relieved to get the job done nonetheless.

“I’m just glad it is over, really. Promotion means an awful lot to everyone involved with the club,” he added.

“A lot of the players have been around here for so long.

“After being asked to bat, our hearts were in our mouths at times and we struggled a bit early on.

“But we managed to edge over 200 and once we got Thomas Lancefield early in their reply and then had them down to 52 for five, we knew we had it in the bag.”