Cuckfield battle to draw at Nomads – Worthing still winless – Haywards Heath back on track – Littlehampton flying

Preston Nomads v Cuckfield

Sussex Premier

Cuckfield remain top of the Sussex Premier League after battling to a draw away to second-placed Preston Nomads.

Cuckfield travelled to Fulking expecting a tough test and having lost the toss, Cuckfield found themselves batting first on a green but dry surface.

Openers Marshall and Rogers, fresh from a 14-over demolition of Worthing the previous week, played watchfully in the face of accurate bowling.

Patel and Khan found movement through the airv but Rogers drove and pulled his way to a run-a-ball 50.

Marshall was unusually circumspect and Nomads turned to evergreen Stuart Faith, whose first ball nipped back sharply to bowl Rogers for 51, with the score on 81.

Nolan was adjudged lbw as Faith extracted seam movement and steep bounce. But Marshall moved through the gears, and was well supported by the middle order - Joe Cambridge’s 33 forming part of a well paced 50-run partnership between the two, as Graham and Candfield also provided able support to the South African pro.

Wickets fell on a semi-regular basis but Marshall stood firm, effortlessly moving through the gears to bring up his third Cuckfield 100.

He ran out of steam on 108, mistiming Jadhav to long off.

After being clattered in the helmet by a full ball that reared up sharply, Johnny Prior chipped one to mid-off and the innings ended on a slightly-above-par 252, Patel and Faith the pick of the bowlers with 4-65 and 3-37.

Sam Candfield partnered Henry Rogers with the new ball, with the former removing Poole early on, tamely chipping one to cover, before producing the ball of the day to clean up Australian Herft – his off stump clipped, leaving Nomads 10-2.

Alongside Sam Topping, Sussex professional Dan Ibrahim looked to steady the ship, both seeing off the remainder of Cuckfield’s opening salvo with little trouble.

With the side depleted of seam bowling, Cuckfield had placed high hopes on the dry surface deteriorating further to aid their spinners as Goss and Hayward entered the attack, both seeing a few balls turn, albeit slowly with live grass covering the surface.

Ibrahim struggled to get going, surviving a close lbw shout before edging Goss to first slip, leaving Nomads 3-52.

Topping fell soon after, falling into Cuckfield’s trap as he swept Hayward straight to square leg, Graham pouching a good catch close to the ground.

From there, Nomads struggled to find any fluency, Dan Phillips’ 33 the only innings of note as they decided with 14 overs to go that they would not attempt to chase Cuckfield’s total.

Patel joined Faith and the two displayed commendable defensive techniques, as the pitch slowed up even more.

Despite the best efforts of Goss and Hayward, the two saw off all that was thrown at them as Nomads finished their allotted overs on 176-7.

The vagaries of the SCLs points system meant both sides finished with 13 points, despite the visitors completely outplaying their league rivals.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Wortbing CC are vowing to battle on despite reaching the midway point of the Sussex Premier League season without a win to their name.

Darryl Rebbetts’ side have played well in numerous games but have fallen short of the quality needed to register a top-flight win – and a sharp improvement is needed if they’re to avoid dropping back down to Division 2.

The latest setback came at home to Middleton, where the visitors racked up 318-2 before bowling out the hosts for 240.

Rebbetts said: “The wicket played excellently despite a day under covers on Friday, and there were positives to take as we batted well – especially Nick Ballamy, who fully deserved his hundred.

"Losing wickets to not-good-enough balls is our problem, but we will score runs and hopefully this effort kick-starts that.

“We go into the second half of the season with a clean slate - we play everyone again and aim to improve on the first half of the season.

"We have Giorgio Rigali to come back and I should be bowling again in a week or so, so hopefully we’ll start to look a little more rounded.”

Haywards Heath v Burgess Hill

Division 2

Haywards Heath put the previous week’s defeat behind them with a comfortable home win over Hill.

Lewis Mamoany’s 45 was the top score in the visitors’ total of 147, in which Chris Abbey took 4-29 and Jethro Menzies 3-37.

Rory Livingstone struck 92 off just 58 balls to lead Heath to victory in just 24 overs, backed up by 33 from Menzies. Prasansana Jayamanne held them up with 4-49.

The win puts Heath 15 points clear at the top and skipper Callum Smith said: “We were pleased to bounce back and get another win.

"With an early start time of 11 am and rain around it was an easy decision to bowl first and our boys up top created great early pressure.

"Jethro Menzies was back to his best and picked up three early wickets, he was then followed by Chris Abbey who bowled with great control through the middle overs and took some great catches off his own bowling as we bowled out Burgess Hill for an under-par 147.

"We had an early wobble losing young Fred Wallis for 0 but Rory Livingstone smashed 96 and Jethro added 33.

"A late flurry of wickets meant we got over the line with the loss of five wickets and it leaves us top of the table at the halfway point.”

Littlehampton v Crawley Eagles

Division 3 West

Littlehampton got off to the worst start possible when Imran Mehboob took a hat-trick in the first over to leave them 1-3.

At 21-4 it looked like it would be a quick game. However Ally James (29), Olly Hemsley (47), and Mac Cox (71*) rallied the home side back into it and they finished on a respectable 213-8.

Cox (3-20) and Akshay Goyal (2-29) did what they’ve done most weeks – taking early wickets – to leave Crawley 33-3.

Crawley fought back and at 97-3 it was in the balance. Spin twins Ben Duffell (2-34) and Nathan Perry (2-37) slowed the rate and Crawley were struggling.

With the run rate increasing, wickets soon began to fall and Cox and Goyal came back to finish it as Crawley were all out for 152.

Littlehampton skipper Mike Askew said: “At 11.05 I thought I’d made the worst decision ever to bat first. Mac, Ally, and Olly showed the strength in depth we have – they batted superbly to get us out a massive hole.

"Mac’s struggled with the bat this year so it was great to see him dig in and show his class.

“We took the early wickets that meant they were on the back foot, then Ben and Nathan bowled as well as they have all year and we’ve defended another target with ease.

“We’re halfway through and we’re sitting pretty in second. Our target was to avoid relegation and until we’re mathematically safe, that is the target.”

Cuckfield 2nd v Bolney

Division 3 East

Cuckfield entertained Bolney and decided to field.

Theo Barker (2-61) removed both openers, the second dismissal sending the leg stump cartwheeling.

In between rain delays and tight bowling from Nick Patterson and Matt Slinger, Bolney established an effective partnership to reach 100.

After Hamduah Saraj (60) was out to Dominic Sear (2-42), a fast-scoring middle order took full advantage of woeful Cuckfield fielding.

Fifties from Trishawn Francis (52) and Rachad Forde (58) rocketed Bolney to an imposing 299.

After Gregory Wilson fell, Sear (23) and Chris Taylor tried to set a platform but both fell to Romaine Roye (2-16). Good bowling from Darryn Stares (3-12) and Jigar Parekh (3-14) bundled Cuckfield out for 98.

Chippingdale’s bid for the Division 4 West title continued with a win at home to West Wittering.

The hosts put Wittering in and bowled them out for 135 – J Dows taking 4-23 and the fielders effecting three run-outs.

Josh Bourne led the run chase with 52 as Chippingdale got home by five wickets. They’re 28 points clear of Broadwater.

Southwick & Shoreham v Turners Hill

Division 8 Central

It's rare at this level to see centuries in successive matches but following an opposition ton last week it was a privilege to witness one from a home player at blustery Buckingham Park.

The star man was Harry Dorgan, who came to the crease with the Wickers in trouble after skipper Tom Bell had lost the toss and been asked to bat.

The 11am start due to the England football match may have fazed the batters as four were sent back in quick order for a total of seven runs.

Fortunately Dorgan and the reliable Craig Dawson were ready for battle.

Playing sensibly but with aggression when possible the pair added 77 before Dawson was given lbw for a fine 38 from 49 balls which included six fours.

Dorgan soldiered as on wickets began to fall again until Matt Were added 16 vital runs and supported Dorgan as he headed to his century.

The innings closed with the home XI on 195-8 with Dorgan triumphant on 106 not out from 95 balls, hitting two sixes and 12 fours. Bowling honours went to Ankur Gupta with 4-36.

If S&S thought that Turners Hill may have been crushed by the turn of events, they were soon to be disabused as openers Sam Bateman and David Litchfield got their team off to flyer.

Missing a couple of regular bowlers captain Bell struggled to gain control as they posted 45 before Litchfield was bowled by Dean Ghasemi for 24.

A couple of wickets fell as the game swung back towards the Wickers, but the entry of Matt Lake to the fray saw an excellent partnership of 106 with Bateman that almost pounded Turners Hill to victory.

But when Bateman was out for 73 from 103 balls and Lake went for 55 hopes again rose among home ranks. Harry Cracknell saw Alex Over off for a golden duck with a run out and it was in the balance again. But 15 from Andy Goodwin got Turners Hill home.

Bell said "Having posted a defendable score thanks to Harry Dorgan's sublime hundred, it was a disappointing one to lose.”