Buxted Park beat Rye - Hailsham beaten by Ramblers - Crowhurst Park in the runs

Buxted Park beat Rye to move into the Sussex League Division 3 East play-off places.

Both teams are well in the promotion mix and looking to start off the second half of the season with victory. Rye had comfortably got the better of Park in the reverse fixture in May, winning by 220 runs.

Buxted won the toss and elected to bat first, a move that has paid dividends in previous matches.

The home side started well with both openers finding the boundary at regular intervals, before Read was caught exceptionally well by Mumba off Pierce for 18.

Coddington came and went, bringing 17-year-old Ollie Jones to the crease, joining 16-year-old opener Alfie Hunter. Together, the youngsters rebuilt the innings with a wide range of classy shots.

Batting with confidence way above their years, they put on 161 for the third wicket before Jones fell for 69.

This left Buxted with an excellent foundation for the middle and lower order to cash in on. Despite losing Hunter (103) after he reached his maiden 1st XI ton, Olive, Clift and Barnes all added quick cameos, taking Buxted up to a stunning 276-8 off their 45 overs.

The job was only half done though, with Rye, the leaders, having a division-wide reputation of chasing very large scores.

However, Buxted started exceptionally well, with I Heater (1-15) removing Collingwood in the first over. From here, Rye, aided massively by the hard striking of Mumba (127), went about their chase, seemingly with ease.

Despite periods of good ball striking from Mumba, Buxted always managed to keep pressure on his partner, and the visitors were unable to get too far above the run rate.

When Woodcock was dismissed for 45, Park knew they had to take their chance. And that they did. George Read (5/42) and Alfie Hunter (3/41) made light work of the middle order.

Buxted continued to take their chances and Rye were eventually all out for 222, collapsing from 170-1. As a result, Buxted moved into 2nd spot.

Elsewhere, the other three Buxted teams struggled, all losing their games by varying scorelines. That was despite some standout performances from Towfique Ahmed who made another 50 in the 2nd XI, and Mark Sheffield who achieved the same feat in the 4th XI.

Little Common Ramblers v Hailsham - Division 4 East

Little Common Ramblers got their second half of the Division 4 East season off to the perfect start on Saturday with a win at home against promotion rivals Hailsham.

After losing the toss, Ramblers were asked to bat first, they made a solid start through Tom Crathern and Ben Atkin putting on 34 for the first wicket before Crathern fell LBW.

Ramblers continued to push on with Ethan Guest (21) and Ed Feist (42) batting well alongside 18-year-old Atkin who made a fine 71 before getting out trying to accelerate the scoring.

The home side lost further wickets in similar fashion and looked unlikely to capitalise on a strong platform that had been set. But Mark Hopkinson displayed some fine striking in the death overs to give Ramblers a total of 236.

Jamison Allan and Ethan Guest bowled with good control in the early stages of the innings, but it was the introduction of Dan Clifford which had the major impact.

The swing bowler bowled beautifully and took key wickets in a spell of 5/29. Ramblers continued to take wickets at regular intervals throughout the chase and eventually dismissed Hailsham for 186.

The win makes it six in a row for Ramblers who will travel to Brighton on Saturday.

Crowhurst Park CC

Crowhurst Park teams scored 1,132 runs in the Sussex League last weekend.

Top of the pile was their 4th XI amassing 380-4 against Hertsmonceaux. The top four made 295 between them, with John Lovel scoring 74.

Chasing such a mammoth target can be daunting, so it proved as the visitors were skittled out for 96 as V Mathew mesmerised the Ceaux batsmen taking 4-3.

Park’s 1st XI had a 30-point win over Glynde.

Batting first ,B Payne 51 set the tone but it was D Rayment’s 117 not out that was the backbone of the innings. Park finished on 281-7.

Replying, Glynde made a good start before Bristow Diamond 2-58 broke through. Glynde’s top scorer was Alex Thornhill 64 but once he fell to Matt Peters wickets started to tumble. D Benta wrapped things up with 4-31 as Glyned were all out for 208.

Park’s 2nd XI fell short against promotions rivals Heathfield Park, who set a challenging 308 target.

Oliver Robertshaw with 96 top scored, whilst J Lovell 3-24 was the most successful bowler.

In reply the home team made a creditable 251-7 but were never up with the run rate. Will Orr (77) top scored.

Travelling to Little Common, Crowhurst Park’s 3rd XI restricted the home side to 213.

Kevin Feakins with 84 top scored as Seb Cobbold and Nikhl Jose shared the wickets.

Park’s run chase was tackled with a purposeful approach. Skipper Julian Buss made 80 but it was left to Monty Watson 55* see the visitors home.

Rongmer 2nds 224-8; Sidley 190-6

A Steve Ramsden century and four wickets for Amie Anderson couldn't save Sidley from defeat.

Ramsden blasted an unbeaten 109 with the bat after Anderson had taken 4-53 with the ball in Sidley's 34-run loss at home to Ringmer seconds.

After Sidley won the toss - for the ninth time in 10 Sussex Cricket League Division 10 East matches - and elected to field, Ringmer totalled 224-8 from their 40 overs.

In addition to Anderson's four wickets, Ramsden and debutant Andrew Mead claimed two apiece.

But none of them could dislodge Benjamin Smith (80 not out).

Ramsden then struck 18 fours and a six to spearhead Sidley's reply, and shared a fourth wicket stand of 109 with Josh Bull (24).

Yet it wasn't enough to earn a fourth win in six games as the home side ended up on 190-6. Anthony Brooke picked up 3-23 for Ringmer.

Sidley's second team was beaten away to Pevensey thirds in Division 12 East (South).

Highlights for Sidley were Mark Gransden's three wickets with the ball and Lawrence Wray's 42 not out with the bat.

Battle 2nd XI: 197-7 (40 overs); Eastbourne 4th XI: 180 all out (38.5 overs). Battle won by 17 runs

Asked to bat first, Battle lost a wicket in the first over during an excellent spell from Alex Bailey (2-31). However, Kye Phillips (61) and Laurence Flint (35), the more attacking of the two, rebuilt steadily.

Sanjay Sharma (30) added useful runs in partnership with Phillips and at 137-2, Battle were eyeing a strong closing 10 overs.

The experience of Terry Daniels (2-36) along with the youthful seam bowling of Ollie Kirtley (2-31) put something of a break on the scoring rate though and a final total of 197-7 looked good but not out of reach on a fast outfield.

Eastbourne’s reply started disastrously.Both openers departed swiftly without a run between them, one essaying a pull in the first over from Phillips (2-27) and the other holing out to an impressive catch by Rob Poulter off Michael Dudgeon.

Bailey looked useful for 25 but the visitors were soon deep in a mire at 41-5.

Two fighting partnerships followed, firstly between Seb Isepp (44), who played some gorgeous drives, and skipper Paul Elphick (37), then Jack Jones (17) and Kirtley (27) took Eastbourne even closer and to a point where only 26 were needed.

However, Sanjay Sharma produced the winning spell with a superb 5-41 to sweep away the tail.

Newick v Lewes Priory - Division 5 East

Newick took on the league leaders but lost out in a really close match.

Newick won the toss and elected to field. Lewes Priory were held to 205-8 from 40 overs.

Cameron Jones was the top wicket taker (3-26). Will Sawyer and Dan Hurkett took two catches apiece.

James Cruikshank top scored for Lewes Priory with 96.

Lewes Priory fielded well making runs hard work for Newick, who reached a total of 183 all out in the 40th over. Sam Carter top-scored with 45. Ahtesham Ali took three Newick wickets for 31 runs from eight overs.

Keymer and Hassocks v Barcombe - Sussex League Division 5 Central

Keymer 218-5 in 40 overs; Josh Wheatley 2-34 Will Marler 2-41; Barcombe 148 all out in 29 overs; Will Marler 44. Barcombe lost by 70 runs.

Barcombe 2nd v Chiddingly - Div 11 Central North

Chiddingly 310-5 in 40 overs; Findlay Black 3-37; Barcombe 218 all out in 33.4 overs; Keith Savage 50 Findlay Black 39no Callum Coppard 28 Oli Allsobrook 22. Barcombe lost by 92 runs.