Cricket: Bognor hold star-studded Horsham - West Wittering keep on winning

Bognor v Horsham - Sussex Premier

Bognor emerged with a creditable draw against a Horsham side studded with stardust.

Batting first on a belting wicket, Sussex four-day captain Tom Haines survived a couple of early chances off the bowling of Josh Sargeant, showing his class in partnership with Anish Padalkar (39) and Elliott Cloy (51).

Mike Harris secured the first breakthrough by bowling Padalkar, before Sargeant dismissed Cloy to bring Sussex’s Tom Clark to the crease.

Clark (40) and Haines took the score to 247-2 before Harris dismissed the latter for an excellent 104.

Joe Ashmore accounted for Clark before Harris dismissed Will Beer after a rapid 28, Horsham closing on 285-6 declared.

In response, Bognor lost Ryan Maskell first ball, losing Harris shortly after. However, the stage was set for a superb show from Bognor’s middle order against a top-class attack.

Initially, Joe Ashmore (45) and Taylor Jaycocks rebuilt, before Beer dismissed the former.

Nick Stobart picked up the mantle with a well-made 43, supporting Jaycocks who cruised to a brilliant, chanceless maiden century for Bognor (102).

A late flurry of wickets did threaten to put the draw into doubt, but the Bognor tail held firm, closing on 234-9.

Bognor take on Middleton in the derby this week.

West Wittering v Crawley – Div 4 West

Wittering won the toss and sent Crawley into bat – and were glad they did.

A youthful and exuberant Wittering took to the field with Jordan Dear (6-30) and Joe Pink (3-24) opened up the bowling.

Pink set the tone of the innings with the breakthrough in the first over.

The wickets kept on tumbling and Crawley showed no signs of steadying the ship, with huge heaves followed closely by tumbling bails.

Tim Osborne (1-1) replaced Pink at the pavilion end to take the final wicket of the innings. Crawley were all out for 57.

Johnny Miller (0) and Nick Fitzgerald (13) opened the batting. Miller was dismissed with the first ball, caught and bowled off a leading edge.

Sam Caddy (29) took to the the crease and steadied the ship. Some classy punches through the covers kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Fitzgerald was caught on the boundary trying to finish the game in a flurry. Tom Gaskin (13) joined Caddy at the crease to blast wittering to victory with a couple of lusty blows. Wittering cruised to victory by 8 wickets.

Steyning 2nd v Aldwick - Div 6 West

This was a much-needed win for Aldwick by seven wickets.

It was mainly because of another captain's innings from Alex Cooper (36), who held the innings together during the run chase, and a top drawer bowling performance from Frankie Bigwood (4-18) who helped dismiss Stenyning for just 134 in 35.5 overs.

The home side did well to reach their final total as they were struggling at 66-7 with early inroads made by Ian Horner (2-18) but once again Aldwick let the tail wag as Andy Issacs (37*) and Tim Humphries (15) put on 53 for the last wicket.

Liam Hicks' stubborn determination at the start of Aldwick's innings - making only two runs in 17 overs - was the perfect foil for skipper Cooper as they saw off the Steyning opening bowling attack.

After the solid start, it was left to Luke Barkes (35*) , Ben Bambridge (15) and Andy Gooding (13*) to seal victory in the 29th over with the three wickets falling to Tim Humphires (1-25), Jordan Semple-Hughes (1-39) and Harvey King (1-13).

Aldwick take a break from league action this weekend as they set off for their annual New Forrest tour.

Findon 3rd v West Wittering 2nd - Div 9 West

Andrew Priest and Zach Stewart opened strongly against the Findon batsmen, with Priest taking the first wicket – caught brilliantly by Dom Daplyn at gully.

First and second change bowlers Dominic Daplyn and Josh Labuschange kept up the pressure. Daplyn took 4-25 and Labuschange 3-14.

Finishng off the tail with unplayable snip bowling, Kev Allsobrook took 2-6 which rounded off Findon CCs innings with a total of 85 off 31.5 overs.

Simon Wadeston 17 and Fin Roberts 17 were notable scorers for the home team.

West Wittering required 86 to win. They started well with Mark Taylor and Stephen Day opening, but after a few strikes to the boundary there was a scare with both openers falling.

However Taylor (10) and Day (6) were out to bring Andy Priest and MoM Daplyn to the crease to secure the win by eight wickets – Priest was 30no and Daplyn 29no. Pick of the Findon bowlers were Peter Hughes and Will O’Brien.

Billingshurst 2nd v Bognor 2nd

Bognor cruised to a comfortable win at Billingshurst as 71 from Mark Woolnough and 53 from Gary Maskell took them to 246, before 4-26 from Josh Broad saw Bognor win by 117 runs.

Bognor 3rd v Broadwater 3rd

Tanya Wake took 5-4 and Bablu Ahmed struck 53 not out as Bognor won by ten wickets.