Buxted pip Portslade - Crowhurst Park enjoy feast - Hailsham grind down

Portslade v Buxted Park - Div 3 East

Buxted Park travelled to Portslade for what was thought to be the first time ever in the league on Saturday.

Winning the toss, captain Tom Clift elected to bat. The pitch offered great bounce for the Slade opening bowlers, who started accurately and were rewarded with the early dismissal of returnee Alfie Hunter for a duck.

Skipper Clift soon followed, leaving Buxted 39-2 off of 10.

Finley Coddington (68) counter-attacked, while Cockcroft (three) came and went, meaning Jones (26) joined Coddington.

Iain Allan (26) replaced Coddington and took over his role as aggressor, hitting two sixes. The innings tailed off, ending on 196 all out. The pick of the bowlers was Lettres with 3-28.

In the reply Craig Olive (3-34) struck in the first over. Cooper (23) and Piper (26) got the hosts off to a brilliant start. At 69-2, they were the favourites.

Buxted leg spinner Dominic Heater (5-30) removed Cooper in his first over, which sparked a remarkable collapse for Portslade, with Heater taking four wickets in three overs, with the hosts falling to 75-6 in the blink of an eye.

Despite some lower order resilience from Lettres (23), Buxted held their nerve and kept things tight enough to secure a valuable 45-run victory, which leaves Buxted Park fourth and Portslade 10th.

Buxted Park 2nd XI continued their rampant season with a 111-run victory over Uckfield Anderida, with 98 for 15-year-old Toby Leonard the standout performance. The 3rd XI had a victory over Herstmonceux 2nd XI.

Crowhurst Park v Ifield - Division 3 East

Batters on each side scored 100 in less than 60 balls.

Batting first Ifield made a steady start reaching 139-4 (Rahul Peters 64), bringing Jack Groves to the crease.

Groves smashed the ball to all parts making 119 off 57 balls, helping Ifield set a challenging target of 287-5

In reply Park suffered an early setback but T Powell 56 and D Rayment built a solid foundation.

At 134-2 the innings followed a similar paten to the visitors. Rayment was run out on 99.

Damari Benta then took centre stage with impressive wristy shots, amassing 101* off 56 balls. Park cruised home just three wickets down with three overs to spare

Park’s 2nd XI were away to Pevensey who set a challenging total of 219-6.

In the run chase Park lost wickets at crucial times and were bowled out for 178 giving victory to Pevensey.

Basie Sturdee was the pick of the bowlers for Park.

Park 4ths were to Sidley. Batting first, Park struggled to muster a moderate total of 139. Monty Watson (32) top scored.

In reply despite four batters getting into double figures, a depleted Sidley batting line-up could only make 108 as Park won.

Winchelsea CC v The Authors XI

It was a busy weekend for Winchelsea Cricket Club.

First they hosted The Authors XI which included former England player and national selector Ed Smith.

The home side elected to field first in a 35-over match. A 94-run partnership put The Authors in control with David Owen and Alex Preston scoring 42 and 48 before both fell to Simon Wheeler.

Quentin Soucek hit a quick 35 but Wheeler took 3-68. Will Morfitt (1-80) bowled well and Neil Archer (1-35) secured the prize wicket of Smith (46). The Authors finished on 260-6.

In the reply Roger Tidyman (20) and Chandu Wickramarachichi (18) played well and a 96-run partnership between Simon and Phil Wheeler increased the rate.

Victory looked possible, but a 75-run stand ended when Ed Jury (17) and Phil Wheeler (114) were out in the same over. Winchelsea finished on 232-5.

Winchelsea CC v Bodiam CC

On Sunday Bodiam visited and elected to bat first. Tommy Nunn ended with figures of 2-29. Wickets fell at regular intervals as James Archer claimed 3-12.

An eighth wicket partnership of 66 saw Bodiam to a challenging total of 151 with James Hamer taking 2-34.

Simon Wheeler (1-26) was the other wicket taker.

Piers Cowley took the first Winchelsea wicket and continued to take regular wickets as he finished with 6-28 including the wicket of Will Wheeler (14).

Winchelsea were reduced to 89-7 but Tommy Nunn survived and with only one wicket in hand 63 were required with 20 overs remaining.

Nunn (76no) and James Jury (19no) saw the home side to an unlikely victory.

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Hailsham v East Grinstead - Division 4 East

A much changed Hailsham side hosted East Grinstead at the Recreation Ground, looking to improve on their performance last week against RMU. Stand-in skipper Tom McDonald won the toss and elected to bat first.

Wilkinson and Ollie McDonald opened up for Hailsham, and it was the latter that found the pace of the pitch first, smashing the ball to all areas. A good opening partnership saw Ollie reach his first 50 of the season, and looked to kick on from there. The opening partnership reached 94, before McDonald was dismissed, caught and bowled by the impressive Ryan Trotter (2-41) for 70 off of 56 deliveries.

Wilkinson followed shortly after with the score 100-2. Peacock and Pannett combined at the crease, and both found it difficult in the first 25 deliveries to pick up the pace of the wicket. However, once the pace of the pitch was gauged, the pair looked to push on, and did so with an impressive 115 run partnership. During the partnership,

Pannett reached 50 and Peacock fell just short on 43. The big hitters were sent in to add some quick runs, and Hailsham ended the innings on 234-5 from their 45 overs.

Hailsham knew they had a good score on a difficult pitch, but knew that early wickets would be important. McDonald and Bellett opened the bowling, and it was the latter who made the breakthrough, bowling Trotter without scoring in the 5th over.

Skipper McDonald understood that pace off was the way to go in the game, so Headland and Ollie McDonald were introduced into the game during the powerplay, and both found success, with Headland securing figures of 1-33, and McDonald even more impressive with 4-41.

Joe Fingerneissl also took a wicket on his 1st XI league debut, before Bellett wrapped up the tail, finishing with figures of 4-39, and East Grinstead were bowed out for 198, securing the win for Hailsham by 36 runs.

Isfield v Newick – Sussex League Div 5 East

A magnificent 67 from Will Chambers ensured an excellent chase against a strong Newick side.

After electing to bat the Newick openers took 46 off the first ten overs. The attack was taken to Halsey (1-29) and Thornicroft, the former taking the crucial wicket of opener Waylett at the end of his spell.

Isfield squeezed well largely thanks to excellent bowling from first change bowlers Atkinson (2-25) and Fingerneissl (1-30).

Atkinson bowled accurately while Fingerneissl got good turn and bounce. With wickets falling regularly thanks to good catching, Fellows (4-20) backed up the good work by taking late wickets as Newick posted 153-8.

Isfield made an ordinary start. Hurkett (3-41) bowled with pace and accounted for Isfield's top three, leaving them 41-3.

This brought in Chambers (67*) and Oli Das (37*) who batted superbly. Chambers hit the ball incredibly sweetly, particularly punishing anything short.

Das looked good and scored above a run a ball.

Shortly after the 100 partnership was brought up the win was secured, Isfield chasing reaching the target in 21.1 overs with just three down.

It was close to the perfect performance from Isfield; a good bowling effort, excellent catching and a brutal batting performance. Its so good that so many have contributed to Isfield's success this year.

This week is the halfway point in the season, when Isfield travel to face Bells Yew Green.

Wadhurst 159-8 lost to Nutley 160-5 - Division 10 East

Wadhurst elected to bat but runs were hard to find.

After Oskar Ainley (2-47) removed both openers Will Shields (25) picked up the pace before Alan Poulter (4-23) took three quick wickets to see the hosts slump to 79-5.

Sam Evans (43) ensured Wadhurst posted a reasonable total as they closed at 159-8.

Nutley's reply got off to a disastrous start as Iain Bell (2-25) and Joe Everdell (2-31) reduced them to 18-4 after seven overs.

However the visitors’ form batters came together at five down to take the game away from Wadhurst as Sam Aldis (71*) and Poulter (43*) saw Nutley home with an unbroken century stand.

Barcombe v Burgess Hill 2nds - Div 5 Central

Barcombe 310-8 in 40 overs; Joe Wheatley 128 (18 fours, six sixes) Will Marler 47 Kane Black 37 Harry Stewart 27; Burgess Hill 247 all out in 37 overs; Josh Wheatley 6-45. Barcombe won by 63 runs

Blackboys 1st v Barcombe 2nds - Div 11 East (North)

Blackboys 270-4 in 40 overs; Barcombe 174 in 38.1 ovrs; Andrew Allsobrook 52 Keith Savage 34 Jack Allsobrook 27; Barcombe lost by 96 runs.

Newhaven v Hailsham 2nd - Sussex League Division 7 East

Despite overnight rain the game started on time with Hailsham putting Newhaven into bat.

Newhaven made steady progress during their innings making 186-6 from their 40 overs with Ian Robinson scoring 44 and Jonathan Bennett 24*.

Hailsham bowlers Matt Anthony, Sam Mills, Lewis Williams and Nick Dalby-Welsh all took one wicket and there were two run outs.

At the start of the Hailsham innings Newhaven were reduced to 4-2. However, this brought Hollie Young to the crease and she hit a quick 23, including five fours, before being dismissed by a fine catch from Matt Tullett off the bowling of left-arm spinner Brandon Du Plooy.

Sam Mills made 27 and after 25 overs Hailsham were 100-5.

However, they then collapsed to 117 all out from 31.2 overs.

Tight and effective bowling from Daryl Tullett (3-15), Du Plooy (2-24) and Jamie Pittam (4-28) aided by excellent catching enabled Newhaven to win the game by 69 runs. This result means Hailsham are second behind leaders Polegate and Newhaven are third in the table.

At the break between innings Jon Sanders from Newhaven Cricket Club's main sponsor, Tasker Osman & Co Financial Accountants, presented a bottle of champagne to the Newhaven captain Daryl Tullett.

Tasker Osman have been Newhaven's main sponsor for 22 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 matchday expenses, for example, pitch fees and match balls.

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

Hellingly II 112 (6pts); Sidley 116-4 (30pts)

Sidley team made it three wins in four matches with a six-wicket victory away to Hellingly seconds in Sussex Cricket League Division 10 East.

Craig Ramsden's side bowled their hosts out for 112 in 30.5 overs before reaching their target for the loss of four wickets in 27.2 overs.

Ramsden took 3-35 with the ball after again winning the toss and choosing to field, while cousin Steve Ramsden was even more successful with 4-17 from nine overs.

Cavan O'Connor (2-21 from seven overs) and Helen Harrod (1-5 from two) were Sidley's other wicket-takers.

In reply, number three Dave Coveney (35) and four Steve Ramsden (26) proceeded to break the back of the run chase.

Dan Reason and Craig Ramsden (both 13 not out) then finished things off as Sidley rose to seventh.

Sidley's second team produced a valiant effort with nine players during a 31-run loss at home to Crowhurst Park fourths in Division 12 East (South).

Trevor Ramsden took 3-22, Ryan Polton 2-28, Harry Little 2-35, Mark Gransden 1-13 and Toby O'Connor 1-36 as Sidley bowled Park out for 139. Sidley were dismissed for 108 in reply..

Bexhill III v Denton I - Div 9 East

Bexhill recovered from 64-6; Derrick Fuller (20), Richard Matthews (20); to make 135-8., Adam Smith scored 40*.

Denton never looked troubled by Bexhill’s attack and romped home at 138-1 in 18 overs.