Cuckfield ready for top-of-the-table clash after Billingshurst win

Josh Hayward’s men are currently second, one place and nine points ahead of Grinstead, who they host at the weekend.

Cuckfield travelled to Billingshurst on Saturday and, winning his fifth toss out of six, the visiting skipper Josh Hayward elected to bowl first.

The openers played the new ball well and at 75 for 0, the decision to bowl looked like it might come back to bite Cuckfield. The introduction of some Josh Hayward spin, however, turned the tables as Hayward completed a sharp catch to have Stuart Barber (33) caught and bowled, Mike Burroughs (0) trapped lbw, and Tom Haynes (34) caught in the slips by Patterson. Adding insult to injury, a direct hit by Ben Candfield accounted for Dan Doram leaving Billingshurst 75 for 4. Scott Stratton (26) dug in as did Andy Barr (21), but both succumbed to the wizardry of Hayward who completed the innings with career best figures of 15-5-53-7, bowling Billinghsurst out for 142 in the 43rd over.

The Cuckfield reply faltered as Greg Wisdom and Brad Galyer both nicked off to the openers, Barr and Will Fazakerly respectively. At 12 for 2, Chris Mole joined Jordan Silk and the pair batted beautifully together with a mixture of crunching drives and clever stroke-play. A partnership of 61 was brought to an end when Billingshurst also turned to spin and Mole (35) was caught on the boundary having misjudged one from Dan Doram.

Ben Williams quickly accounted for George Galbraith Gibbons as he missed a straight one, but Ben Candfield (19) joined Silk and helped Cuckfield to 100 before he was caught behind also off Williams.

A golden duck for Ben Harris brought Nick Patterson to the crease who wasted no time hitting 25 off 20 balls and taking the game away from Billingshurst as Silk (53) hit the winning runs to bring up his 50. Cuckfield host East Grinstead next week.

2nd XI

Cuckfield suffered a crippling defeat at home to Three Bridges. Having won the toss the visitors put Cuckfield into bat and the home side collapsed to 82 all out in the 26th over with only Darren Senadhira (31) showing any resistance. Bridges veteran seamer, Adrian Chappell took 6-42 and Arran Brown and Atif Elahi picked up two wickets each.

Three Bridges knocked the runs off inside 10 overs of with Sohail Shah hitting 61 not out.

Cuckfield 3rd XI v Poynings 1st XI

Having been put into bat the Cuckfield opening partnership of Will Rossiter (21) and Iain Pringle (18) set a foundation, but the middle order were not able to capitalise as wickets fell regularly. The innings of the day was played by Dan Turner (70*) who saved Cuckfield’s bacon as he took the home side to 207-8 after 47 overs. For Poynings, Tom Beal took 3-22 and Richard Brookes 3-43.

The Poynings opening pair, Tom Brookes (20) and Will Brookes (18) set a similar foundation, but despite batsmen getting starts: Michael Prodger (33), Joe Cutress (34) and Matt Cutress (26), no batsman went on to get a big score. This was largely down to the off spin of the Cuckfield skipper, Matt Slinger who ended the game with 6-44 as Poynings were bowled out for 169 in 39 overs. Jack Best and Tim Mole also picked up two wickets each.

Cuckfield 4th XI v Roffey 3rd XI

Cuckfield won the toss and put Roffey into bat at Faygate. Cuckfield’s openers Peter Collins (4-31) and Tommy Watson (3-9) did most of the damage as Roffey were bowled out for 55. Cuckfield lost two wickets in their chase completing an eight wicket win in the 9th over. Caleb Hawkins top scored for Cuckfield with 30 as Jim Barnes and Mohammad Ali took the wickets for Roffey.

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