TWO centuries and three half-centuries within the past week have made this the most satisfying period of the summer for the Bermudian contingent in England - and, for varying degrees of importance, they could not have timed it better.

Chris Foggo smacked 102 as a guest player in a Sunday fixture with Byfleet against Old Castletonians while, on the same day a few hundred miles farther northwest, Ryan Steede scored 108 for the Atherstone Town Sunday XI against Coombs Wood, his first century at any level.

OJ Pitcher hit back-to-back fifties on the weekend, 51 in Pyrford's 112-run win away to Roehampton on Saturday and an even 50 in the Sunday match, and the age of achievement was completed when Noel Gibbons, easily the senior statesman of the visiting quartet, ended an uncharacteristic barren run with 73 in Atherstone Town's winning draw away to Marston Green on Saturday.

For Pitcher and Foggo, their run of form comes at a vital time as they prepare for Sunday's Evening Standard third-round match for BWIA against Saffron Walden, champions of the Essex League premier division. "It took a bit of a weight of my shoulders to get my first half-century here," Pitcher said this week. "But to come back the next day and score another fifty, I really enjoyed that." What the St. David's and Bermuda all-rounder is not relishing, however, is the sight of the umpire's finger, and confirmation that yet another innings is ended by a leg-before decision. "I think I might have to put away the sweep shot for a while," he remarked.

The signs that Pitcher was beginning to turn promising starts into innings of substance could be seen as early as last Wednesday when he made 45 for the Surrey County League first division XI in the twice-postponed representative match against the Three Counties League XI. Pitcher and Foggo, who made 21, finished on the losing end after their side's 194 was overhauled impressively for the loss of only three wickets.

Pyrford's league victory on Saturday kept them 11 points clear of Kingstonian, who were in commanding form, needing only 19.1 overs to successfully chase 175 and wrap up a nine-wicket victory at home to Sinjuns. But, perhaps, the most significant result came at Marlborough (1870), where the home team inflicted a three-wicket defeat on Godalming, the third-placed team, who are now 47 points behind Pyrford.

After losing the toss, Pyrford made slow but steady progress and were 103 for two from 30 overs when Pitcher came to the crease. "The pressure was on for me to get on with it," he said. That he did, especially when joined by his long-time friend and Bermuda colleague, as the pair added 40 in 26 balls before Foggo was out for 20.

Pyrford batted on to reach 240 for seven declared from 52.1 overs and left Roehampton an hour and 20 overs to salvage a respectable draw at best. The home team did their part, recovering to 70 for two after losing a wicket in the first over.

Then Pitcher, who has seen limited action with the ball lately, opened the door for a spectacular collapse to 118 all out with two for eight from eight overs, with six maidens. Next on the league agenda are Godalming away tomorrow, when a tenth successive victory to start the season would turn promotion to the Surrey Championship third division into a procession.

Finally with the Surrey lads, there was a charity match on Tuesday in which they turned out for a BWIA XI against a Select XI. Funds raised from the match went toward the treatment of cancer patients at the Kingston Hospital in Telford, Surrey. Pitcher made 20 and took a wicket, and Foggo was out for naught as BWIA scored 170 in 45 overs and dismissed their opposition for 155.

There were smiles all round at Ratcliffe Road where Gibbons sees light at the end of the tunnel, despite the precarious position of Atherstone Town in the Warwickshire Cricket League first division. At the beginning of the season, a winning draw against Marston Green, who are second from bottom, might have been met with derision but, after a three-match losing streak, the 14 points gained are welcome indeed. What is more - the player-coach made his first significant contribution of the season.

"One of the guys said to me last week, 'When are you going to score some runs?'" Gibbons recalled. "I knew he was joking but at the same time I knew that I was cheating myself, getting out in the teens and 20s." Gibbons provided the foundation for Atherstone Town's 208 for four in 50 overs and Marston Green were 121 for six at the close. A previous high score of 33 came nowhere close to parity for a player the quality of Gibbons, even at the age of 45, 46 or is it 47? The former Bermuda all-rounder is not letting on.

"This knock was satisfying to me and the whole club," Gibbons said. "We have struggled recently with player unavailability. One of our main players is a fireman but we have him for the next five weeks and should be at full strength." With the aid of cortisone injections, Gibbons is gradually getting the better of a back ailment that hampered his movement during the cooler months of the season. The timing of his improved health is essential to Atherstone Town making a run at the seven clubs above them in the league standings, starting tomorrow when they play away to Griff & Coton, the seventh-placed club.

"We had a three-match losing streak but were overpowered in only one of them," Gibbons claimed. "The leaders (Dorridge) gave us a flogging but in the other matches we were affected by late starts and didn't defend our totals properly." Steede did not bat and claimed only one wicket against Marston Green but what a day he had on Sunday. Opening the innings, the 26-year-old passed his previous highest score in organised cricket by some distance - he made 69 not out against Devonshire Recreation Club last season. "It might have only been a friendly match but it did wonders for my confidence," Steede said. "I just need to transfer this to the first team when I get the chance." Gibbons, meanwhile, after being jokingly dismissive that Steede "waited until he was almost retired before scoring his first century" offered this mid-term report of his young charge: "His bowling has really improved by 100 percent since he got here. I'm not saying this because he is sitting right next to me but he has also gained a couple of yards (of pace) as well and will be a much better player when he returns to Bermuda."

In the Surrey Championship third division, Southern Railway's flirtation with the promotion places lasted only one week after a losing draw away to East Molesey on Saturday dropped them to fifth. The Railway, after experiencing early difficulties on losing the toss, scored 174 for seven in 55 overs, with yours truly making 27. The home team began well but lost wickets are crucial stages before holding out at 161 for seven in 41 overs.

The top two clubs, Dulwich and Old Wimbledonians, both won last weekend. That leaves Railway with 12 points to make up, starting with tomorrow's home fixture against Epsom.