East Molesey skipper Kieran Burge said England international Michael Carberry is too good to be making cameo appearances in the Surrey Championship.

Carberry, who has turned out twice for Spencer this season hitting 241 runs and taking eight wickets, could line up against Burge’s men this weekend when East Molesey make the trip to Earlsfield.

Burge claimed that Carberry had “single-handedly” won Spencer 17 points, and instead of being only four points adrift of their hosts on Saturday, they are 21 points behind.

He said: “In Carberry, you’re talking about a player that was being considered to replace Kevin Pietersen in the Ashes – he is just too good for the league.

“He has won Spencer 17 points, and at the end of the season that is very likely to be significant.

“At East Molesey, we have one professional that we pay, and that is it. But there are some clubs that throw money at players, which we believe is not the right way to do things.

Wandsworth Times: Kieran Burge

With the bat: Kieran Burge said East Molesey are better suited to the limited overs format     SP78178

“Spencer have brought in Jonathan Batty and Alex Tudor, and now Michael Carberry, that also deprives three of the guys who got Spencer promoted last season a shot at playing in the Premier League.”

Bottom club Molesey boosted their chances of staying in the Premier League last weekend beating Reigate Priory by eight wickets in the final match before the format returns to limited overs – something Burge believes will work to their benefit.

“The way we’re set-up suits the limited overs game. We’re much stronger with the bat than with the ball and we can struggle to take 10 wickets.

“We should be better from here on, and hopefully that will push us on for the rest of the season.”

At Reigate Priory, Burge won the toss and immediately put the hosts into bat and they struggled to 174 off 63 overs.

Burge said: “There are two reasons why it is vital to win the toss in the longer format of the game.

“First, we start so early and there is also something in the pitch for the first half an hour for the bowlers to use, and that’s what happened on Saturday – our openers really had them struggling.

“Secondly, it is much easier to chase down a target than it is to take 10 wickets in the second innings.”

In reply, Timmy Handel hit 63 and Simon Barrett was unbeaten on 73 as Molesey reached their target in the 41st over with the loss of two wickets.