Wimbledon skipper Mark Shimmin believes his side's unbeaten start to the season marks them as one of the challengers for Sutton's Surrey Championship Premier Division title this year.

The South African off-spinner saw his team push the champions close at Gander Green Lane, where only a 67-run eighth-wicket between from Bilal Butt and Ali Jaffery salvaged a losing draw for the home side.

And Shimmin, who dropped a sharp chance with 10 overs remaining, believes Wimbledon can build on last season's fourth-place finish and triumph this time around if they can avoid a mid-season dip in form.

"Sutton are the team to beat again and I definitely think we have a chance of pushing them all the way," said the captain, whose side are second behind Cobham Avorians in the table.

"We started and finished the season well last time and, if it wasn't for a run of 16 points from seven games, I think we could have gone close last year.

"We have picked up a good left-arm spinner and a couple of pace bowlers, which has given us a cutting edge."

Sutton's stand-in skipper David Sampson put the visitors in on a tricky track, and half-centuries from Graham Grace (70) and Sean Davies (56) helped them to 242-9, despite 5-53 from Phil Sampson.

Jaffery and Butt proved the only highlight of Sutton's innings as they struggled to 172-9.

Elsewhere, a five-wicket haul for Wandsworth-based Surrey cricketer Rory Hamilton-Brown could not stop Weybridge going down by 55 runs to Farnham, as they collapsed to 105 all out in the face of Tom Hicks' 6-47.