Big-hitting Guppy inspires Aldwick to bounce back

Batting first, Aldwick openers Alex Cooper (39) and Ed White (77*) built a solid base of 65 before Cooper became the first of first-change bowler Alex Caughlin’s (3-69) three wickets.

Debutant Tom Lockwood (23) kept the innings ticking over but had to make way for another Ian Guppy show. Yet again, Guppy battered the opposition bowling with another big-hitting display that thundered along to 78 in just 22 balls.

His seven fours and eight sixes meant only two runs out of his total were not boundaries and he is head and shoulders above any batsmen in the whole of the Sussex League for strike rates with an unbelievable rate of 354.55.

For Findon, Nick Hawke (2-18) managed to get wickets at the end but with 245 on the board, Aldwick were confident and declared, allowing Findon the benefit of 52 overs to achieve their target.

Guppy (3-63) was then back in the limelight removing Findon opener Jon Flowers for 18. However, Flowers’ dismissal brought in Nick Hawke (56) to join Mark Higgins (83) and together they must have put a seed of doubt in Aldwick skipper Alex Cooper’s head regarding his declaration as together they took the visitors’ total up to 119-2 and a strong possibility of victory.

At 159-3 alarm bells were still ringing for Aldwick but the home side took charge skittling out the last six Findon wickets for a paltry 17 runs.

Pick of the crop was Jim Amis with 3-8 from four overs, backed up by Ben Bambridge with 2-34. Findon were all out in the 49th over for 224.

Aldwick are up to fourth but this week face a tough assignment away to RMU.

Aldwick two had a week off but this week face East Preston twos.

West Chiltington & Thakeham 2nd v Bognor 2nd

Div 6 West

In the heart of Sussex, Bognor’s second team were looking to push their season on following a varied start to the campaign. Fielding first, Bognor were on the backfoot a little at West Chilts progressed to 92 for 1, Callum Wyatt making 68. This didn’t deter Bognor as the lithe Scott Bingham swung in to take 5 for 28 and contain West Chilts to 159 for 8.

Bognor’s reply was a stop-start affair and apart from the suave Mark Woolnough with 31 and the bustling Charlie Jays with 40, the omens were not looking good as Bognor found themselves on 122 for 7. Creeping forward, Bognor then inched their way to 156 for 9 and the wise head of Sam Adams saw Bognor over the line, the visitors winning by 1 wicket. For Chilts, Josh Reeves claimed a fine 5 for 40.

Bognor 3rd v Clymping 2nd

Div 11 West South

At West Meads, Bognor’s thirds were looking to build on last week’s win. Clymping won the toss and elected to bat and with contributions throughout the team finished on 181-6 with Dan Winslow and John Hooker bagging two wickets apiece.

In reply Clymping held Bognor in check and a close finish loomed. Bognor’s Elvis Millen kept the hosts in the hunt and carried his bat to claim an excellent maiden century.

However Clymping kept in front and won an entertaining game by 18 runs.

Chichester Priory 4th v Littlehampton 4ths

Div 11 West South

Two colts making their debut in senior cricket showed they were more than ready for the longer game.

Littlehampton chose to bat first and were surprised to see the wickets fall to a predominantly young bowling group. Caleb Cossar took 2-30, Theo Bachelor 2-29, Stanley Mayne 3-22, Roger Smith 2-9 and Johnathan Maynard 1-1 off three balls.

Catches taken by Teddy Phillipo, Maynard (2), Cossar and Mayne ensured all youngsters were very much a part of the game.

Littlehampton were all out for 93 but Smith was in fine form in reply, scoring 59 from 47 balls. It was left to Maynard and Phillipo to secure the win – Maynard scoring 19 not out and Phillipo five not out.

The total was reached in just 17.3 overs.

Chichester hold on to top spot for another week.

Singleton v Kirdford

Kirdford’s Ben Jeffrey’s catch was the highlight of the day.

The ball slammed towards him at short mid-off, never rising above two feet, and he took a diving catch two inches above the ground in his left paw.

After their unbeaten start to the season, Kirdford were whipped into submission by a brilliant Singleton, who won the toss and chose to bat on a lovely, true track.

In the heat and humidity, Kirdford opened the bowling with Ed Bayne (8-2-26-0) and James Lywood (8-0-82-2). The Singleton openers put 90 on for the first wicket, with Jez Abbott making an assured 32, Pat Elsbury 39.

With the loss of these two to Patrick Haywood (8-1-38-5) there might have been respite, but Ash Court showed his mettle with 46, including six fours and three sixes.

Haywood and Lywood had success, helped by Gus Fletcher taking three sharp catches behind the stumps, but Singleton totalled 247.

Simon Johnston and Jeffrey opened, and Johnston continued his inauspicious start to the season with three before being caught off Ryan Dawtrey (1-19) and Jeffrey went for a golden duck off Matt Rooke.

Anil Mane was sent in with Ed Bayne. Bayne was bowled by Rooke (2-5) for nought. Haywood joined Mane and they took the score to 47 before Haywood (21) chipped a Derek Price half-volley to long mid-on.

Mane (13) was bowled by the accurate Simon Hall, who took 4-8 including three in one over. A few ducks and an empathetic golden duck from the other experienced Kirdfordian, Chip Charman, meant Price (4.2-0-25-3) and Hall did well, wrapping up the Kirdford innings for 68.

Goodwood v WPP

Goodwood’s run of five victories came to a halt against WPP after one of their players made 102 not out then took three for seven.

WPP elected to bat and Goodwood bowlers Johnny Heaven (2-8), Owen Spicer and Kristensen (1-9) made them work for every run, leaving them 60-3.

The next two partnerships won the game for WPP; Wyngard (39) and Pretorius (102*) put on 66, then Mayes with Pretorius put on 54.

Wyngard and Pretorious were dropped on the long-on boundary off consecutive balls.

Spinners Hari Daggubati (2-34) and James Mayne (2-45) managed some control but Pretorius was dispatching the ball to all corners and reached his century off the last ball of the innings with a six. WPP finished on 206-6.

Pretorius sped down the hill, removing the top three batters, as Goodwood found themselves 21-3 before a left-arm ‘chinaman’ entered the fray and reduced the team to 25-4.

Heaven struck 37 off 26 balls and was well supported by John Clifton (26). Hari Daggubati (20) and James Mayne (11) were the main scorers before the overs ran out with Goodwood on 142-9, WPP winning by 64 runs.

This is WPP cricket team’s last summer and Goodwood say they have thoroughly playing them.

Aldwick v The Old Barn

Aldwick’s friendly against a team from The Old Barn in Felpham was a competitive affair with the home side eventual winners by 32 runs.

Aldwick openers Josh Mann (39) and Ben Bambridge (16) started things nicely with a 52-run partnership. Further consolidation from Jamie Murphy (24) and especially Alex Cooper (55*) established a solid total of 162-8 from 25 overs.

For the Old Barn, Richard Barnett’s 4-28 was easily the best bowling performance, ably assisted by Dingle Purvey with 2-42.

Runs came from Rod Taylor (28), Charlie Maggs (27) and Dingle Purvey (26) for the Old Barn, but it was not enough as they finished on 130 all out. Braces for Alex Cooper (2-17) , Liam Hicks (2-24), and Josh Mann (2-7) were key to the Aldwick victory.