Bexhill and Newick denied by rain - but Newhaven win by ten wickets

Bexhill 2nd v Newick

Division 5 East

Bexhill made close to 200 but the rain won the day when Newick had reached 60-3 in reply.

Newick won the toss and elected to field. Bexhill scored a total of 197-9 wickets from their 40 overs.

Alex Murray top-scored with 62 not out. For Newick, Matt Sawyer took 3-10 from his eight over spell.

Newick started their response but after several breaks for heavy rain the match was abandoned in the 17th over.

Hailsham v Bells Yew Green

Division 5 East

A club can do no more in trying to get a game of cricket on than Hailsham did in the build up and during Saturday’s home fixture with Bells Yew Green.

Some 48 hours before, there were players helping the groundsman dress and undress the square with three different sets of covers.

On the day, groundsman Lewis was bringing in equipment from his van that no one had ever seen before to try to force a result, and players were at the ground early and working in terrible conditions to try and make play possible.

Sometimes its not always what happens on the field of play that makes you proud about what your club stands for who we are.

After all the above heroics play finally started at 3pm and, in a 28-overs-a-side game, the Hailsham batsman batted as if they were making up for lost time, dispatching the BYG bowlers to all parts of the ground.

Robert Wilkinson (eight) and Ollie McDonald (62) got the team of to a flyer before Wilkinson ran himself out. Matt Dawber (31) kept the pressure on the opposition.

McDonald hit the ball with power and ease and Dunning was next in and took it up another level with 38 from 13 balls. He was followed by skipper Andrew Anthony (33*) and Shaun Kevern (28).

Despite two intervals for passing showers, when the players left the field after 25.4 overs it felt like the skies had turned and this was the end.

Another huge effort from the team and groundsman gave some brief hope but it was not to be in the end.

Man of the match was McDonald.

Newhaven v Iden

Division 7 East

Despite overnight and early morning rain, the game started on time with Newhaven winning the toss and putting Iden into bat.

In tricky conditions Iden struggled and regular wickets were lost. Only scores of 28 and 15 from Thomas Waters and Peter Harris enabled Iden to get to 70 before being bowled out after 34 overs.

They had no answer to accurate and effective bowling from Newhaven’s Jamie Pittam (3-11) and Dave Bennett (2-6).

After the break Newhaven had to get on with the run chase and, with heavy rain threatening, scored 71-0 wicket off 12.5 overs.

Good batting from Daryl Tullett (39*) and Jonathan Bennett (28*) enabled Newhaven to win by 10 wickets.

After the game Jon Sanders, from Newhaven’s main sponsor, Tasker Osman & Co Financial Accountants, presented a bottle of champagne to man of the match Pittam.

Tasker Osman have been Newhaven’s main sponsor now for 20 years.

Their annual donation of £750 assists the club in providing opportunities for children and adults to play cricket.

The money goes towards providing equipment for practice sessions as well as match day expenses, for example, pitch fees & match balls.

Sanders said: “We are pleased to assist the cricket club as investing in young people and the community provides long-term benefits to all especially after the difficulties of Covid-19.”

Glynde's game with Rye was cancelled, just after the halfway stage. Rye batted first and rattled up 288 for 8 in their 45-over innings.

Rye started very poorly and were 15-3 in no time at all, thanks to a fine opening spell from Mike Brooks 3-22. After this the game spiralled downhill for Glynde, as Rye batsman Luke Payton struck a superb 144, as he struck 13 fours and 10 sixs in his 91 ball innings.

Glynde didn't help themselves, as the batsman was dropped 3 times during his innings and Payton was well supported by Ruben Collingwood 36 not out and Fred Smith 32. Charlie Hobden with 2-74 was the only other bowler to have much success as Rye went on the rampage.

There was rain during the tea interval, which meant Glynde had to get 251 from 35 overs, which seemed rather a lot considering 10 overs had been lost. Joe Adams with 19 not out looked very dangerous and Archie Burrows 8 not out, got Glynde to 28-0 from just 4 overs before the heavens opened and within minutes the whole square was waterlogged. Both sides take 10 points from a game, that may well of been an exciting one.

Eastbourne 3rd v Uckfield Anderida

Division 8 East

Eastbourne threes won by five wickets after Uckfield Anderida were bowled out for 82.

With most matches in the area being cancelled or abandoned because of really bad weather, Anderida took a trip to the seaside but lost this low-scoring match after very poor batting by the visitors.

Nick Huntley top-scored for Uckfield with 14.

Eastbourne took only 16 overs to get the winning runs, beating both Uckfield and the rain.

Hellingly 2nd v Hailsham 3rd

Division 9 East

Hailsham threes went in search of some much-needed points to secure their spot in Division 9 East.

After rain, a later start time of 2pm meant the game was reduced to 36 overs per side. Hellingly won the toss and put Hailsham in.

Andrew Swansborough was quickly dismissed for a duck with some good fielding.

Christ Walder played some nice shots before being undone. Ed Brook took his usual cautious approach but was out lbw for four.

Wickets kept falling and the innings was once again reduced in length because of showers.

A good innings from Ethan Dawber saw him make 22.

Skipper Warren Downs found the boundary several times and his 28* helped Hailsham to 93-9 off their 32 overs.

Tom Mills opened the bowling for Hailsham and took 1-4 off seven overs.

But play had to be abandoned with yet another downpour rendering the wicket dangerous. Hellingly finished on 29-2.

Mills was man of the match.