Cuckfield and Haywards Heath neck and neck in cricket title battle

St Peters v Cuckfield - Division 2

St Peters elected to bowl but Nipun Karunanayake and Joe Cambridge continued their great start to the season.

Cambridge made 67 off 73, including 11 4s. Karunanayake (31) was first out after an impressive opening stand of 109. He fell to Wazir Khan (5-47), who also picked up Cambridge and Cuckfield’s leading 2021 run scorer Ollie Graham.

The St Peters attack bowled economically at Cuckfield’s middle order - Dilshan De Silva in particular.

Cuckfield found themselves 159-5 after 45 overs. Dan Turner was joined by Ben Candfield, and they put on a quick 57. Candfield was dismissed for 33 and Turner was run out by Sam Wheatley for 32, but Cuckfield powered to 224 all out.

St Peters came out looking positive against the new ball with Phil Smith and Rohan Doyle batting well.

However, Cuckfield stalwart Nick Patterson dismissed Doyle for 20 and followed it with two in two balls, Smith LBW for 17 and Nimanda Madushaka caught behind.

Marco Lincoln was the thorn in Cuckfield’s side, but Ben Candfield (4-43) took the 4th and 5th wickets.

When Patterson claimed his five-fer, ending with 5-69, the game looked over with St Peters faltering to 112-8.

Lincoln and Harry Craker frustrated Cuckfield but Joe White came on to remove Lincoln for 84, including 14 4s and one 6.

The captain trapped Craker lbw after a gritty 10 from 40 balls. The 30 points for Cuckfield moved them back to the top, level on points with Haywards Heath CC.

Lindfield v Haywards Heath - Division 2

Heath put the home team into bat in overcast conditions.

Lindfield got off to a good start with Andrew Stillwell and Jayson Butler.

Dan Gee, who has just turned 18, got his reward when Butler went to a smart catch from Jonny Phelps at short mid-off, 70-1.

Skipper Callum Smith removed Stillwell (57) and it was 118-2.

Toby Shepperson and Nathan Pugh found regular boundaries with Jonny Phelps struggling to to find his length.

Smith dragged Shepperson (47) forward and Michael Platt made a smart stumping. Henry Moorat went on 160 trapped by Jethro Menzies (2-47) and Pugh was run out for 25 by Ben Matthew. Skipper Simon Shivnarain was bounced out by Menzies.

Smith (4-43) and Jemuel Cabey had further success and Lindfield ended on 210-9. The home team were given a five-run penalty for running down the pitch while batting.

Jonny Phelps and Ben Matthew looked in no trouble at all until Phelps was judged LBW for 54. Matthew dominated the innings with skipper Smith supporting and it was 179-3 when Smith fell.

With the weather deteriorating, Chris Blunt (1), Tshaffi Shams (8) and Stephen Goulds (0) fell but Matthew completed his classy 100 to get Heath over the line,

Heath are at home to St Peters this weekend.