Cricket: Worthing down but will regroup – Haywards Heath back on promotion track – Chippingdale on brink

Their three-wicket defeat at home to Hastings Priory last Saturday has left them unable to catch any of the teams above them, so they will start next season back in Division 2.

They have won only once this season but have pushed several sides close and can feel unfortunate not to have picked up more points.

Now they will regroup and aim to mount another bid to win promotion back to the top flight next season.

Against Priory, the side immediately above them in the table, Worthing elected to bat first and 63 from Nick Ballamy and 46 from Harry Merritt-Blann took them to 248-9.

In the Hastings reply, Worthing couldn’t take wickets regularly enough and 51 from skipper Harry Scowen and 59 not out from Greg Devlin got them over the line – and sealed Worthing’s fate.

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Worthing skipper Darryl Rebbetts said it was another day when they were left to think what might have been.

“Again the feelings are similar which is frustrating, but we are channeling it for next season when we need to be winning these games with the excellent positions we've got ourselves into.

"That's what we've built success on in the last couple of seasons, but this year we are not capitalising on winning positions or being ruthless with chances to assert our position on the game.

"We were in a position to get 280-plus and lost some silly wickets and then we had them six down for 200 and just needed to take our chances to win the game.”

Worthing may well be facing Findon in Division 2 next season, with the village side top of Division 3 West and on course for promotion. That’s thanks to a one-wicket win in a low-scoring game at Steyning.

A knock of 71 from Hywel Jones took Steyning to 181-8, with Graham Manser (3-30) the pick of the bowlers.

It looked bleak for Findon when they slipped to 100-8 in reply but Drew Hammersley’s 47 not out saved the day and secured a vital win. Thomas Chalmers took 3-17 for Steyning.

In Division 4 West, Chippingdale are just a few points away from clinching promotion and could do it at home to Broadwater this Saturday.

Haywards Heath v Preston Nomads 2nd

Sussex Division 2

Haywards Heath welcomed Nomads to Clair Hall looking to get back on track after a loss the previous week.

Nomads won the toss and elected to bat on a fresh pitch but Heath wasted no time taking a wicket with first ball of the match through Jethro Menzies.

He and Charlie Rutter bowled great opening spells to leave Nomads 20-2.

Heath continued the squeeze and picked up regular wickets and didn’t allow the batters to get going.

Captain Callum Smith picked up 3-18 from nine overs and Menzies returned impressive figures off 1-11 off nine.

Youngster Ollie Moore bowled well at the death and took two wickets. Nomads finished 153-9 from their 45 overs with Kash Ibrahim unbeaten on 50.

The score looked well below par but Heath again wobbled early and found themselves 30-3 after some good tidy bowling.

Overseas batsman Rory Livingstone scored freely for 30 and Ben Matthew made a lovely 48 to take Heath past 100 and within sight of victory.

As in recent games Heath wobbled again and found themselves 120-7 but Charlie Amey joined skipper Smith and they saw Heath home, with Amey the aggressor, hitting some lovely shots to see Heath over the line with eight overs to spare.

Heath remain second and in the promotion spots with three games to go ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Rottingdean.

Southwick & Shoreham v Horsted Keynes

Sussex Division 8 Central

After the highs of the previous week the Wickers came down to earth with a mighty bump.

With several regulars missing and a stand-in captain in Paul Hudson, the Wickers began well against the league leaders.

Hudson won the toss and decided to bowl first in bright conditions. His opening pair Matt Rowson and Gary Mussen were in a parsimonious mood and runs were difficult to come by, young Rowson bowling probably his best ever spell for his team and unfortunate not to take wickets in his initial six overs.

Mussen nabbed an early lbw as Horsted Keynes inched their way to 18 off 10 overs. A change of bowlers saw this alter as Hudson and Dean Ghasemi struggled to maintain control, the batters putting on 34 in five overs, a pattern that continued until Stuart Fuller was niftily caught in the slips by Howard Carter off the returning Rowson. Fuller hit 13 fours in his 75.

Ben Humphrey-Davis scored 47 before falling victim to an accurate Ahmed Oryakhail and his brother Alex knocked 27 late runs to take the away team to a daunting 251-9.

Rowson, Mussen, Ghasemi and Oryakhail took two wickets each, but Rowson’s figures of 2-21 were outstanding.

Southwick & Shoreham were also slow out of the blocks but picked up the pace after 10 overs. Ghasemi and Rowson looked in good form but were unable to keep up the pressure, falling for 29 and 14 respectively.

Farhad Barakzai belted 23 before being caught and Harry Cracknell cracked 14. Adam Walter was unfortunate to fall to a worldy catch as the Wickers subsided to 136 all out.

Hudson said: “The highlight of the day was a fine opening spell from 16-year-old Matt Rowson and the seasoned pro Gary Mussen, ably followed up by Ahmed Oryakhail, who kept the in form Horsted Keynes batters under control.”

East Preston 2nd v Southwick & S’ham 2nd

East Preston posted a massive 293-4. Richard Laker hit 113 and Stephen and Christian Lloyd took two wickets each. S&S were bowled out for 111 in reply.