Bognor and Middleton suffer Sussex Premier Cricket League losses

Bognor v Roffey - Sussex Premier

Another spirited performance saw Bognor run Roffey close, but ultimately the Boars won by five wickets and gained some level of revenge for defeat in the T20 Cup.

Bognor’s 175-8 was underpinned by 57 from Joe Ashmore, but looked to be short of a par total. George Fleming and Rohit Jagota took 3 wickets apiece for Roffey.

An inspired opening spell from Josh Sargeant and Nick Stobart reduced Roffey to 8-2 however, and Bognor turned the screw – one boundary coming in the first 25 overs of the chase.

Winning start for local sides.

However Theo Rivers and Matt Davies batted sensibly on a tough wicket, eating away at the total. Davies was more aggressive, eventually falling for 81, but Rivers saw home the chase in the 48th over, finishing on 70 not out.

Horsham v Middleton - Sussex Premier

Middleton travelled to Horsham hoping to keep their run of good form going – but ended up beaten.

It didn’t start well with them losing the toss and being invited to field.

Archer out for season.

Middleton put Horsham under early pressure, keeping the run rate down and taking the first wicket early on.

But Will Beer (139) and Tom Johnson (80) were able to build a substantial partnership of 166 for the 2nd wicket.

Middleton dropped four catches along the way as well as fielding poorly throughout and in the end Horsham amassed 299-6 from their 50 overs. Russell Talman finishing with three wickets.

In reply Middleton needed to start well, and unfortunately the innings just didn’t get going.

After losing wickets at regular intervals only debutant Josh Wood (45) could put the Horsham bowlers under any pressure.

But unfortunately the damage had been done and Middleton were eventually dismissed for 117 from just 23 overs.

Middleton took only six points from the game, but aim to improve when they visit Hastings this weekend.

Chichester v Mayfield - Division 2

Chichester fell to a four-wicket defeat in a 500-run thriller at home to Mayfield.

Captain Sean Dobbs chose to bat on a good-looking Goodwood pitch.

Openers Simon Hasted and Mike Smith put on 97 for the first wicket as Smith brought up his first league 50 of the season. His dismissal for 54 saw Chichester consolidate.

Matt Bennison fell for 15 trying to push the run rate up, but Aussie Tom Drake-Brockman, alongside Hasted, began to put pressure back on the bowlers.

Chichester finished on 249-2, with Drake-Brockman 69 not out, with Hasted 98 not out.

In response, Mayfield lost early wickets, with Corey Perrett threatening with the new ball and Andrew Crookham displaying great control. Drake-Brockman picked up two wickets to leave Mayfield 83-4, still needing 167 to win from around 20 overs.

Rob Sharma and Callum Saker dug in then counter-attacked with 50 needed from the final five overs. Saker was bowled for 67 by Owen Millard and Ben Gregory effected a run-out, but Sharma (139*) won it with three balls to spare to condemn Chi to their first defeat.

Clymping v Bognor 2nd - Div 6 West

Bognor suffered a rare defeat to Clymping as Alex Moore’s 72 helped the home side to 204 from 40 overs.

In reply, Gary Maskell’s 59 was cut short by injury, as Freddie Tomlinson took 5-23 to bowl Bognor out for 151, Kutub Uddin making 41.

Aldwick v Slinfold 2nd - Division 6 West

Aldwick's Ollie Smith took 5-30 and skipper Alex Cooper top-scored with 45, but they were still second best, losing by just two runs.

Batting first, Slinfold’s top order fell cheaply to Ben Bambridge (3-22) and Frankie Bigwood (1-38) and with Smith's five-wicket haul were in trouble on 106-8.

However, Aldwick let the tail wag as good knocks from Imrah Shah (31) and Richard Harris (14) took them to 136 all out.

After Cooper fell to Chris Stanbridge (2-26), only Luke Barkes (15) and Aiden Miles (11) contributed.

Despite a last gasp effort from Aldwick's No10 Frankie Bigwood (21), the visitors’ bowlers came out on top with further wickets from Priya Chameera (2-29), Roshan Gamage (2-4) and Thivagar Jeyachandran (3-7) securing a win.

Ifield 3s v West Wittering 2s

West Wittering twos travelled to Crawley, where Ifield won the toss and decided to bat.

Andy Evans and Alroy Pereira gave them a flying start but in the 11th over Wittering bowler James Munro ended the partnership, getting them both in the same over, Evans scored 26 and Alroy 35.

Munro bowled a spell of nine overs, taking 5-23.

Kieran Bake got three wickets, Andy Priest one, and Rich Hammond claimed the last wicket and Ifield finished on 162, Baker taking 3-46,

West Wittering openers Pete Taylor and Steve Day didn’t stay together long and when Hrishikesh Mitra had West Wittering two down in the third over, it was game on.

Josh Labuschagne and Munro got West Wittering back on track. Mitra took another wicket removing Labuschagne who scored six.

Priest joined Munro with the aim of staying in and winning the game – and they did. Munro went on to score a whopping 87 not out with Priest 40 not out.