Cricketing kids have thrilling end to memorable campaign

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Chichester's under-12s enjoyed a successful cricket week. Playing four games across the week, Chichester won two and had two winning draws.

All the games were played in an excellent spirit, with some great cricket enjoyed by all. The final game against Arundel CC was particularly exciting with Chichester needing to win to top the group.

Chichester took five wickets in the final three overs but could not capture the last Arundel wicket to clinch the victory.

All players contributed, with many excellent individual performances. Highlights included superb batting from the captain Owen Spicer. He recorded scores of 87 not out, 80 not out and 109 not out before being dismissed in the final game for an excellent 92. Toby Toft scored a magnificent 101 against Steyning.

Billy O’Brien produced an outstanding display with the bat to score 60 against Arundel. There was also sensational cricket from the youngest player in the team, eight-year-old Tom Baily.

He started the week with a great innings of 53 not out and followed this with excellent spin bowling to be the leading wicket-taker with nine wickets, including four for ten in the last game, which so nearly gave Chichester the final elusive victory.

It was a great week’s cricket to cap an enjoyable season which saw the under-12 side improve week by week.

UNDER-TEN

Bognor v Chichester Priory Park CC

Chichester’s Spitfires travelled to Bognor and completed their league season on a high.

After a tight opening the CPP batters started to take hold with fine stroke play, Alan Biju the pick with a fine 36 not out.

The home side bowled and fielded well but Rory Minton added 27 runs with some imaginative strokes.

Chichester showed good running and accumulated a good score, giving away just three wickets.

The home side set about the target with great endeavour, with Lawrence picking off 18 runs.

Gradually Chichester’s bowlers started turned the screw with Jerome Brackley conceding just two runs from his two overs.

The bowlers were well backed up by the fielders.

Bognor struggled to keep to the run rate and eventually fell short.

The game completed the competitive season for the Spitfires and with just one loss it was an excellent summer of pairs cricket. Well done to all the players and supporting parents.

UNDER-13

Bognor’s under-13s enjoyed a decent week in this year’s festival. After losing a tight game at Middleton despite the efforts of Ben Woolnough and Toby Wingate, the boys beat Pagham thanks to a Charlie Jays hat-trick in the final over.

A stout performance against Chichester Priory Park saw a maiden 50 for Enrique Andrade-Paris, more fireworks from Jays and Ben Woolnough and wickets for Taylor Jaycocks.

That was followed by a fine win against Littlehampton where Ethan Teasdale and Taylor Jaycocks also scored maiden 50s. With wickets for Sazzad Hossain and spin-king Ben Cooper, 2017 looks bright for this band of brothers.

LAVANT CHARITY DAY

Lavant Football Club’s third annual charity cricket day raised more than £400 for a local multiple sclerosis group.

The event, held on the village green, saw three teams of eight compete against each other in 12-overs-a-side matches.

Players, management and families turned out to support the event, which included a barbecue and raffle, with prizes donated by many local businesses.

In a thrilling first game, the MS team won off the last ball to top the table, before the blue team beat the yellows comfortably. However a shock win for the yellows against the MS team in the final game meant all three teams finished with one win.

Helen Pullen, fundraising co-ordinator for the Chichester and Bognor MS group who suffers from MS herself, said: “We had a really good day and everyone involved was so kind with their time, effort and generosity”.

Around 100,000 people in the UK have MS.

Cricket day organiser Neil Sanson said: “I have known Helen for several years and have seen how debilitating MS can be. It was the club’s pleasure to have the MS Society as our chosen charity this year”.

The football club are now preparing for the upcoming season and would welcome any new players. They are also looking for a new manager to take over the recently-promoted reserves. Anyone interested can get in touch via the club website or on Twitter – @Lavantfc

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Goodwood v Ropley

Goodwood batted first and Johnny Heywood, Goodwood’s specialist No3 who has regularly scored runs, notched a well-deserved maiden half century – a glorious 61.

The total of 250 also included scores of 48 from Ezaz, 43 from Will Futcher, 45 not out from Dave Baily and 21 not out from Matt Bennison.

Ropley’s reply started pretty well but they were pegged back when Mike Smith (2-31) and Ezaz (3-15) removed the openers.

No4 G Wickens looked a very fine player and threatened to make a big score but once he was removed for 45 by a fine catch on the boundary by John Heyworth, there wasn’t much punch left in the Ropley innings.

Matt Bennison took two for nine and Steve Dudman, Alex Pendle and Peter Lamb took a wicket each. Ropley finished on 178.

Rudgwick v Bognor Rebels Sunday XI

On a balmy day, Rudgwick elected to bat. They began steadily but the entrance of leg-spinner Ethan Teasdale changed the game.

The diminutive youngster engaged flight and guile to snaffle three for 16. Support came from veteran Mark Hood with two for 11, and with wickets shared around, the hosts were bowled out for 103.

Bognor rung the changes to give the youngsters a crack but it was two old hands who saw them over the line with both Hood (22no) and John Hooker (33no) seeing the Rebels to an eight-wicket win.

Emsworth v Lavant

Lavant invited the hosts to bat first on a green track. Lavant’s opening bowlers Berkley and Stevens were on top from the start, with Mark Stevens taking three for 20 to give Lavant control.

Wickets fell at regular intervals with Rawnsley taking two for five from six overs and Kieran Nash two for 29 from eight.

Only the Sandford brothers and Wyatt were able to make double figures before Banks and Sullivan completed the dismissals to bowl Emsworth out for 86.

Joe Watts’ pace troubled Lavant’s openers Rawnsley and Blanche but could not breakthrough. Ian Rawnsley eased Lavant towards the target, making 25, and Jim Blanche was unbeaten on 26 as Viral Parikh hit the winning runs to give Lavant victory by nine wickets.

Lavant v Parham Park

Lavant skipper Steve Brooker elected to bat and openers Rawnsley (28) and Stevens (34) gave Lavant a fine start despite the efforts of Park’s bowlers Huffer and Forrest.

Despite losing Carroll for nought, a hard-hit 80 from Danny Berkley and 67 from Brooker accelerated Lavant’s innings to enable a declaration on 212 for three.

Parham’s openers started brightly with Wales stroking 60, Vander 22 and Balchin 25 all threatening to close down the target.

Sharp catches by Wignall and the dismissal of Wales bowled by Nash were key moments before the middle order tumbled.

Rawnsley, Hall and Wignall also took wickets before Berkley finished off the tail to give Lavant victory by 76 runs.

Aldwick v Fittleworth

With six balls to go and two wickets remaining, Fittleworth required just four for victory in a high-scoring contest. However, Harry Rosser (3-28) took both wickets with his first two balls of the final over to give his side a win by four runs in a terrific finale.

Earlier, Fittleworth openers Andy Kitchener (82) and L. Kitchener (22) piled on 53 for the first wicket but consistent bowling from Liam Hicks ( 2-41) and Grant Wilson ( 2-38 ) amongst others kept the visitors just behind the required run rate.

Credit to Paul Gibbs (45) and Josh Seargeant (88) who shared in a 98-run third-wicket partnership to give Aldwick a winning total.

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