Cricket: Pressure building on Chichester for premier survival

Following an appalling batting display the previous week, home captain Mark Bamford opted to field first on winning the toss and things could have stated well if Adam Newman (68) had been taken at slip in the first over.

Fellow opener Toby Finzell (66) also was allowed a reprieve in the slips and these dropped chances proved costly as the pair put on 134 for the first wicket.

Batting at three, Harry Finch was also dropped in the slips and he went on to score 68 not out and it was he who pushed the visiting side towards their sizeable total of 280 for five.

Adam Zampa toiled in the sun and was rewarded with all five wickets.

Chichester’s reply started well as Chris Kirkham and Bamford put on 47 for the first wicket from just five overs, but Bamford was unfortunate to be run out at the non-striker’s end when Harry Finch dropped a return catch from Kirkham, only to deflect the ball on to the stumps.

Chichester didn’t collapse as they did the previous Saturday as Zampa (36) and Richard Browning (55) pushed the score on.

But 290 was always going to be too large a total to chase down, despite the best efforts of Daniel Joseph with a rumbustious 29 not out at the end of the innings.

Chichester closed on 227 for seven and sit one place above the relegation zone, with the Brighton just point ahead of them and Worthing six. Any two of five teams could suffer the drop and with two weeks to go, Chichester must find a result from one to secure safety. They visit Bexhill this Saturday.