Clymping continue impressive start

After a six-wicket win over Selsey on the opening day, Clymping had a free Saturday last week but showed no ill-effects of the week off as they continued their impressive start to the season on Saturday.

Clymping, after winning the toss, bowled Southwick out for 132 in 48.4 overs and then cruised to victory in 20.5 overs as Graham Merritt-Blann smashed 76 not out from only 68 balls.

Clymping captain James Salisbury said: “It’s been a very pleasing start.

“We wanted to bowl first as we’d seen how they had fared with the bat in their opening games and they very much rely upon Russell Martin.

“We put pressure on them and bowled well to control the game.

“The bowlers all shared the wickets and we fielded well and it was good that we didn’t rely on one individual and long may that continue and everyone chips in.

“We then had a solid opening partnership between Graham Merritt-Blann and Sam Varcoe and it was good for Graham to get some runs, before Gareth Challen came in and carried on his good form with the bat.”

Captain Russell Martin top-scored with 64 for Southwick, who had been bowled out for just 77 and 46 in their previous games, after they had lost the toss and been put into bat.

McNeill (nought) and Shutt (eight) fell early to Salisbury but Martin then put on 44 for the third wicket with Matthew Vokes. Vokes was out for 14 and George Meads and Grennan both then fell for ducks to leave Southwick 63-5.

Martin and Blake added 42 for the sixth wicket, before Blake was out for five with the score on 105.

Martin was the next man out, caught by wicketkeeper Gareth Challen off Andrew Mitchell’s bowling, for 64, which was off 82 balls and included 10 fours.

Mark Broxup added 15 as Wickers were all out for 132 in 48.4 overs.

Clymping captain Salisbury took 3-24, while Mitchell, Varcoe and Paul Challen, whose 12 overs cost only six runs, took two wickets each.

Clymping then cruised to victory for the loss of just one wicket in 20.5 overs.

Merritt-Blann and Varcoe had a 65-run stand for the opening wicket, before Varcoe fell for 12. Merritt-Blann and Gareth Challen then saw Clymping to victory with an unbroken 70-run second-wicket partnership.

Merritt-Blann finished unbeaten on 76, with 12 fours and two sixes, while Challen was 18 not out.