Crowhurst Park hampered at Heath – Buxted Park and Glynde nab first wins – Hailsham happy at Hastings

Crowhurst Park v Haywards Heath

Sussex League Div 2

Park couldn’t keep up their winning start despite an early ball-of-the-season contender by Jamie Bristow Diamond to dismiss opener Jethrow Menzies with the first ball of the second over.

The visitors’ batters racked up 263-9 off their 45 overs, thanks to a brilliant 93 by Rory Livingstone. Matt Constable (3-47) and Sam Osmond (2-17) brought respectability to proceedings.

Park could only manage 165 in reply with a few thrown-away wickets as Haywards Heath bowled tight lines, Freddie Wallis taking 5-32 and Jethrow Menzies 2-21.

Park MoM was youngster Sam Osmond for a promising 2-17 and 18 with the bat.

Crowhurst Park’s 3rd XI picked up a comfortable win bowling Little Common Ramblers out for 62. Wickets were shared with MoM Seb Cobbold (3-8) the most successful.

Park knocked off the runs for the loss of just two wickets, Sachin Gopinath (25) top-scoring.

Hailsham CC’s first XI travelled to Hastings looking for their first victory of the season in Division 4 East – and won by 63 runs.

Skipper Andrew Anthony won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that he hoped would break up throughout the day.

The usual pairing of Peacock and Ollie McDonald opened, but found it tough going on a track that wasn’t offering an awful lot for the batsmen.

After their century-opening stand last week, the pair couldn’t replicate the feat, with McDonald chipping to the ball to point for 5.

Regular wickets fell for Hailsham, with no stable partnerships being created, but up stepped Matt Dawber who dragged the side to a competitive 166 all out, with a fantastic innings of 84, making batting look easy when no one else could.

Though the score was competitive, Hailsham knew they would have to bowl superbly to get anything from the game, and it was the spinners that provided hope.

They bowled excellently in tandem and picked up three wickets in the first half of the innings.

The game was evenly poised until a flurry of wickets, predominately provided by Ollie McDonald and Shankar Bala, swung the game heavily towards Hailsham.

McDonald completed an excellent five-wicket haul with the last wicket of the day as Hailsham secured a 63-run win, and more importantly, it brought their first win of the season.

A special mention goes out to McDonald for his figures of 5-29, but the Choice Medics MoM was Matt Dawber for his excellent 84 that dragged Hailsham to their competitive total.

Meanwhile, Hailsham CC have announced a new two-year arrangement with Marlow Ropes. This partnership will see a sign displayed on the side of the picket fence at the Western Road ground – and the two organisations working closer together.

Emma Donovan, marketing and communication manager at Marlow Ropes, said “Marlow Ropes are proud to be a part of Hailsham’s 200-year rope-making history and we are delighted to now be supporting Hailsham Cricket Club for the next two years.

"With much of our workforce being local to Hailsham and keen sports fans, it was important to our ‘Employee Voice’ team that we support local sports teams such as Hailsham CC.

"We look forward to cheering the club on over the next couple of seasons.”

Rob Wilkinson, director of cricket at Hailsham CC, said “Partnerships like this one with Marlow Ropes are vital to the continued growth and progression of the club.

"We have so many local businesses with skills and products that can help us as a club, and we can help them equally the same in return.

"I am looking forward to where this partnership can go and hope it turns in to a long running relationship that is mutually beneficial.”

Bexhill II v Crowhurst Park II

Division 6 East

Felix Holland batted through the Bexhill innings for an excellent 104 not out, his second league century – six years after the first.

His team-mates showed little inclination to stay with him until Louis Haffenden made a quick 33 at No9 and the home side were indebted to 46 wides to boost their total to 264-8.

For Crowhurst Park Basie Sturdee was pick of the bowlers with 3-28.

In their reply runs came steadily, aided by regular dropped catches. Jon Peters made 56 at the top of the order and Josh Barraclough 34 but they were always slightly behind the rate.

Seven down with 29 needed, Adam Smith mopped up the tail with a triple wicket maiden, ending with 4-32. Rowan Crouch had taken 2-37 and Taylor Wickenden 2-33.

This week Bexhill travel to face Tunbridge Wells III.

Pett II 163 (10pts); Sisley 167-4 (30pts)

Division 11 East (South)

Sidley made it back-to-back wins with a comfortable six-wicket victory at Pett.

Steve Ramsden's side bowled their hosts out for 163 before knocking off the runs to continue their good start.

Sidley reduced Pett to 57-7 before Andy Murphy (45no), with support from Glenn Oakman (22) and Dylan Philips (24), gave the home side something to bowl at.

For Sidley, Mark Gransden picked up 4-36, Cavan O'Connor and Jamie Ramsden took two wickets each.

A second-wicket partnership of 74 between Jackson Jesupatham (46) and Jamie Ramsden (30) soon got Sidley back on track after an early wicket.

The latter added 62 for the third wicket with Steve Ramsden, who blasted nine fours and two sixes in his 67, to put it beyond doubt.

Sidley's seconds lost by 116 runs at home to Crowhurst Park fourths in Division 12 East (SE). Park amassed 217-4 with John Lovell carrying his bat for 81 and Tom Andrew making 52. In reply, Sidley were all out for 101.

Battle 2nd XI: 213-8; Willingdon 2rd XI: 211-8. Battle won by 2 runs

In a dramatic finish at Huggett’s Lane, visitors Battle won by just two runs.

With Battle taking to the crease first, a fine 145-run partnership between clean-hitting Phil Bourn (95) and the steady Kieran Dudgeon (59*) ensued, and this put their side in what felt like a commanding position.

Willingdon fought back impressively – Aran Ibbotson removed Bourn, and Tom Marsden’s excellent 5-27, including a hat-trick (all bowled), pulled their side into contention – 213-8 looked a good score, but not out of reach.

Willingdon’s reply looked tentative at first, with Josh Bourn striking twice. But Mike Pickard and Marsden (22) began to score freely.

George Harris (2-41) provided consistency and, with his wickets and the score at 117-5, Battle seemed to have re-established momentum.

Pickard was supported by Grant Smith (39), and with just 29 needed off the last five overs and five wickets still standing, the odds had edged towards the home side.

In the end, Battle’s young bowlers held their nerve. Josh Bourn (3-47) knocked back Smith’s off-stump, Louis Berryman kept an excellent line (2-18), and Battle’s fielders did enough to run out Pickard (89) off the penultimate ball.

Winchelsea 87;Ashburnham 200-5

Winchelsea lost the toss and the home side were asked to field first.

Ashburnham got off to a steady start before James Archer (1-34) made the initial breakthrough with a sharp return catch removing G Wicks (24).

James Bateman claimed the next three wickets to finish with 3-37, including B Corbishley (15), W Hutchings (26) and O Froom (14).

M Dahms scored 72 to increase the scoring rate before being dismissed by Neil Archer (1-50). S Sharma (19no) and M Peters (22no) saw Ashburnham to a total of 200-5 at tea.

After tea M Dahms (1-24) made the initial breakthrough before a second wicket partnership of 46 steadied the innings.

M Peters then took two quick wickets to claim figures of 2-3 including that of brother Jon Peters having scored 32 and being the only batsmen to reach double figures. F Dahms (3-25) and B Baker (3-4) were the other wicket takers as Winchelsea were dismissed for 87.

Buxted Park brought up their first win in Sussex League Division 2 with victory over St James’ Montefiore.

Park elected to bat first and openers Arslan Khan (36) and George Read (16) scored well. It was 51-2 when the hard-hitting Iain Allan (63) joined Khan.

Eventually Khan feathered one to the keeper, which brought Nicholas Cockcroft (46) to the crease, and he batted sensibly alongside Allan with the score moving to 158-4 before Allan was bowled.

Will Sheffield (61) came in at 178-5 and carried Park to an excellent total of 276-8.

St James’s got off to a good start in the reply with openers Toby Pullan and Henry Sims (both 20) taking the score to 45 before the first wicket fell to a caught and bowled by Khan (1-23).

With tight bowling and good fielding on display, Olly Bradley (43) offered the main resistance, hitting six boundaries before holing out.

Michael Murray (24) mustered late runs before being the last to fall to Sheffield (3-11).

The visitors were all out for 174, 102 short of their target. Park head to Haywards Heath this week.

Glynde made a winning start to their Division 3 east campaign on Saturday, against Bexhill. Glynde batted first making 247-8 in their 45 overs, with Charlie Hobden 76, Archie Burrows 46 not out, Joe Adams 31 and Robbie Mouland 20 all batting well for Glynde. The Bexhill bowling was led by Malcolm Johnson 2-39, with both Shuan Johnson and Harry Short who both recorded figures of 2-49. In reply Alastair Kent made an excellent 98 for Bexhill, but apart from Harry Strugnall 25 and Benji Hammond 21, there wasn't too much resistance against the bowling of Will Burton Durham 3-22 and Charlie Hobden 2-24 as Bexhill finished on 206-8 giving Glynde a 41 run win.

Glynde II were bowled out for 208 with James Peck making a superb 121, but no other player could give too much support to him. In reply Little Common Ramblers II lost 2 wickets for just 4 runs, but there were some good innings, from Jonne Tryphonus 40 and a match winning unbroken 5th wicket partnership of 132 between Berwick Smith 77 not out and Bradley Giles 63 not out. Darren Howard 2-48 and Zak Barber 1-42 were impressive for Glynde.

Glynde III made 182 all out with Tom Murphy making an impressive 92 not out, but Linden Park III had little trouble in chasing the runs, losing only 2 wickets in doing so.

On Sunday, Glynde won their 4th Round National Village Cup game against Buxted Park by 57 runs. Glynde batted first and soon lost an early wicket, but Archie Burrows with 81 steadied the innings with James Peck 23 supporting well at the start. There was then a quick blast from youngster Jani Flind 28, but a small collapse to 208-7 left Glynde in slight trouble. Glynde though were in a fighting mood as Will Burton Durham 35 and Tom Silvester 30 not out, struck the ball well and enabled Glynde to reach an imposing total of 278 for 8 at the end of their 40 overs. Buxted Park started well with Finlay Coddington 30 Iain Allan 30 and opener Alfie Hunter 26 scoring well. George Read then struck a swift 59, but with wickets falling steadily at the other end Buxted were bowled out for 221 with 2 balls remaining. George Burton Durham took 4-74, with brother Wlll Burton Durham, for the 2nd day running bowling very impressively, as he took 2-22 in 7.4 overs. Glynde will now take on another Division 2 side in West Chiltington on Sunday 4th June in the final of the Sussex group.

Chiddingly 1st v Barcombe 1stDivision 5 EastChiddingly 347-9 in 40 overs; George Christmas 3-27 Will Marler 2-53 Kane Black 2-61; Barcombe 232-9 in 40 overs; Callum Coppard 77 Josh Wheatley 74 Harry Stewart 27. Chiddingly won by 115 runs.

Newhaven v Rye 2nd

Division 7 East

On a sunny but breezy afternoon, Newhaven won the toss and captain Jonathan Bennett decided to take the bull by the horns and bat first.

Newhaven made steady progress during their innings making 196-8 from their 40 overs, with Daryl Tullett scoring a classy 86 and Mitch Ford anchoring the innings with 33 not out.

Rye's Martin Blincow was their stand-out bowler with figures of eight overs, two maidens, three wickets for 29 runs.

Rye started steadily but they were eventually bowled out for 55 in the 30th over.

Fine bowling from Billy Khan (4-8) & Dan Norwood (2-6) enabled Newhaven to win convincingly by 141 runs. This result takes Newhaven to the top of the table with 83 points from four games.

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 Bennett.

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 match day expenses, for example, pitch fees and match balls.

Sanders said: “We’re pleased to assist the cricket club as investing in young people and the community provides long-term benefits.”

Barcombe 2nds v Willingdon 3rds

Div 12 SouthBarcombe 282-4 in 40 overs; Tommy Gaydon 128 ( 17 x4s 6 x 6s) Ade Broadway 45 Keith Savage 38; Willingdon 57 all out in 26.3 overs; Tommy Gaydon 3-7 Max Taylor 3-31. Barcombe won by 225 runs.

Robertsbridge 2nd XI 226-9; Lewes St Michaels 1st XI 229-8

Div 9 East

Lewes St Michaels won at Robertsbridge. James Pexton top-scored for the home side with a fine 72 in a total of 226. New player Irfan Safi took 3-29 for LSM, while Bryan Field and Naimat Zafary each took two wickets.

In the Lewes pursuit, Naweed Zafary hit a brilliant 61. Also in the runs were captain Pratik Patel (38), Naimat (28), Chairman Tim Masson with a quick 23 and Tom Bradford (14*) holding his nerve to hit the winning runs, to continue LSM's unbeaten league start.