CRICKET: Local round-up (August 12)

Challen hit 129 in Littlehampton's total of 269-6 from 51 overs, and then took 5-33 as Steyning were dismissed for just 136, which dented the visitors title hopes.

Challen crashed 24 fours and one six in his innings as he moved on to 725 runs for the season.

After Littlehampton had lost openers Graham Blann and Rick Heberlein in the opening two overs of their innings, Challen put on 193 for the third wicket with James Askew, who struck 77 with 12 fours.

Steyning never really threatened Littlehampton's total and when their skipper, Matt Sewell, was the fifth man out with the score on 83, the writing looked to be on the wall.

Only Gary Hunt, with an unbeaten 30, and Hywel Jones, with 30, offered any sort of resistance but they were all out in the 40th over. Challen took 5-33 from 11 overs and paceman Luke Vinter grabbed 2-32. He now has 53 wickets for the year – the most in the Sussex League, two clear of Ifield's Russell Jacob.

Steyning picked up only four points, which will do little to help their title aspirations. It was their fourth league defeat of the season and leaves them third behind Middleton and Goring, who play each other on Saturday.

Littlehampton remain seventh, 49 points behing leaders Middleton with a game in hand.

Challen said: "I thought 269 was a good score, and it's always difficult to chase down a total that high.

"You never know, though, as we've chased 270 successfully twice this year, so you can never be too sure.

"My partnership with James was key, and it put them under pressure. The wicket flattened out and we finished the job off well.

"We've got a game in hand, and I think that the top three is an outside bet for us if we win our remaining games.

"We can push on strongly from this and it was an excellent all-round team performance."

In the same division, Arundel came close to pulling off a shock result when high-flying Middleton had to hang on for the draw, nine wickets down.

Middleton put Arundel into bat and they scored 215-8 from their 53 overs. Aussie Edward Lewis top-scored with a 74-ball 75, which included 13 fours and one six, and he now has 436 runs for the season.

Geoff Stothert also struck 39 in a 74-run stand for the third-wicket with Lewis, and Will Clark hit 25 and Jonathan Morris 24.

Middleton then held on for the draw at 178-9. Last man Tommy Davies saw off 14 deliveries and finished eight not out.

Stuart Nelmes was their top scorer with 66, while Arundel's left-arm spinner Neil Chitty took 6-56 from 20 overs and Ian Dabinett-Jays grabbed 3-65 off 16 overs.

Clymping failed to pick up a point for the second successive week after a 168-run loss at West Sussex Invitation League leaders Crawley Eagles.

They remain second from bottom, 31 points behind East Preston, with just three games left.

But they could still stay up if they were to finish second from bottom, which is normally a relegation position. League rules state that clubs with only one team cannot play in Division 1 and both Brighton Insurance and West Blatchington, who are second and third respectively in Division 2, have just the one side.

Bottom-of-the-table Portslade on Saturday moved to within 30 points of Clymping, who they are now targeting to overtake, and they still have to meet each other in the penultimate game.

Waqas Hafiz blasted 84 and Fallah Ud-Din struck 57 not out as Eagles piled up 249-3 in 43.3 overs on Saturday.

Ud-Din then took 4-15 as Clymping were dismissed for 81.

Rustington dropped into the relegation places in Division 4 after a 146-run defeat at home to Aldwick.

After Aldwick were put into bat, Phil Hart crashed 80 and Grant Wilson 53 before they declared on 251-6 after 45 overs.

Rustington were then all out for 105 in 29.1 overs. Keelan Belcher took 6-59 and Nathan Belcher grabbed 4-39 for Aldwick.

-------------------------------------

Click here to go back to Worthing sport.

Click here to return to Gazette sport.

Click here to go back to Shoreham sport.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: [email protected]