Cuckfield slip but stay top - Haywards Heath keep up the pressure.

Cuckfield CC remain top of division two of the Sussex Cricket League with three games to go - but after a defeat to Chichester, they are only 22 points ahead of West Chiltington. Haywards Heath are still in the hunt in third - only 30 points off top spot. Here are the latest reports...
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Cuckfield v Chichester Priory Park - Sussex League Division 2

On the hottest Saturday of the year, Cuckfield were unable to extend their lead at the top when they lost to Chichester Priory Park.

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Stand-in skipper Josh Hayward won the toss and elected to bat. After a promising start for the openers, Joe Cambridge (11) was bowled.

Nick Patterson bowling for Cuckfield in their recent clash at Haywards Heath | Picture: Adam PhelpsNick Patterson bowling for Cuckfield in their recent clash at Haywards Heath | Picture: Adam Phelps
Nick Patterson bowling for Cuckfield in their recent clash at Haywards Heath | Picture: Adam Phelps

Andrew Crookham claimed a second victim in Ollie Graham as he tried to turn one into the leg side, getting a leading edge to produce a regulation catch.

Oscar Jago-Lewis and Nipun Karunanayake started to rebuild. A promising partnership of 20 was curtailed when Karunanayake (24) drove a wide one from Ben Gregory which was caught at slip by Mike Smith.

Another 20 partnership was brought to an end as Jago-Lewis (7) gave Gregory his second wicket, top edging to mid-on. Henry Rogers (11) followed, leaving Cuckfield reeling on 71-5 in the 17th over.

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Jimmy Anyon was Gregory’s fourth wicket, caught at mid-wicket by Matt Bennison. Hayward joined Ben John and the pair batted sensibly adding 48, Hayward (14) playing the supporting role until he was run out.

A second mix-up saw Will Galbraith-Gibbons sacrifice himself allowing John (51) to make his maiden 1st XI 50 before being bowled by Tom Drake-Brockman attempting a flamboyant shot over the top.

Joe White (38no) and Nick Patterson (16) took the innings to the last over to set a total of 212 all out. Gregory took 4-38 and Cuckfield looked 30-40 runs short.

White and Galbraith-Gibbons opened the attack and Galbraith-Gibbons had Tim Wergen (12) caught by Karunanayake.

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Matt Bennison and Smith put on 61 before Bennison was bowled round his legs by Hayward, who picked up to two more quick wickets to put Cuckfield back in the game.

The first of two run outs saw the back of Oliver Dabinett-Jays, then Simon Hasted was caught behind by Ben John to give Hayward his fourth wicket. At 102-6, Drake-Brockman was joined by fellow Western Australian Gregory.

Drake-Brockman (92no) then flicked a switch and dispatched the ball to all parts of the ground. Gregory (20) was run out by Jago-Lewis, but Chichester reached their target in the 44th over. Hayward took 4/16.

Cuckfield – 22 points ahead of second-placed West hiltington – go to Lindfield this week.

Haywards Heath v St James - Division 2

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Heath won the toss on a scorching hot day and had no hesitation electing to bat first on a good wicket and a lightning outfield.

Jehtro Menzies returned up top to partner the ever present Jonny Phelps, who helped himself to 16 from the first over from Michael Murray.

Murray soon got his revenge, cleaning up Phelps who was looking to attack early - leaving Heath 23-1.

Phelps was replaced by Ben Matthew and he and Menzies scored freely taking the score to 81 before Matthew was undone by a good one from St James overseas Thomas Draca.

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Menzies was in a confident mood and rode his luck but passed 50 and looked set for a big one. He and captain Smith put on 100 before Smith was undone by Murray, well stumped by Henry Sims for 36.

Menizes continued to accelerate and was joined by Ollie Bailey and the pair punished the St James attack in hot conditions.

Menzies passed the three-figure mark which remarkably was his first league ton for the Heath. After reaching three figures he raced to 150 and along with some big hitting from Bailey, Heath passed the 300 mark.

Menzies finally went for a superb 162 but Bailey carried on taking the Heath to 324 from their 45 overs and ending on 48 not out.

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St James did well to stick to the task in horrid fielding conditions and picked up six wickets and gained six valuable points.

In reply St James lost opener Loughton early, removed by overseas star Jemuel Cabey with a good yorker.

Cabey was unlucky not to have Draca caught first ball in the slips as he extracted some extra pace and bounce from the Heath wicket. Draca went on the attack and went after Cabey and the left-arm spin of Phelps from the other end.

Captain Toby Pullan and Draca raced to 50 before Cabey got the better of Draca and cleaned him up.

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Dan Gee removed Tom Prideaux de Lacy with his first ball and St James were 70-3.

Gee bowled well and he and Smith started to build some pressure and Smith removed his opposite number Bradley, well caught in the deep by young Charlie Mifsud.

Former Heath player Henry Sims played some lovely shots before becoming Smith’s second victim, caught and bowled for 30.

The target of 324 looked a long way off at 137-5 but Luke Heath and Joe O’Neil played well to move towards 200.

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Wickets then fell and St James ended up well short all out for 245 in the 41st over. Jonny Phelps cleaned up the tail taking the last three wickets.

Heath remain third and go to Chichester this week.

Meanwhile Haywards Heath won a Lifebuoy Super Heroes competition, the prize for which was a coaching session with an England player, in this case Sam Billings (pictued above). Sam ran some hygiene-related activities with the club’s U10s and U11s and held a Q&A for both HHCC and Lingfield U14s after a festival game. He also presented the juniors with their awards.

West Chiltington & Thakeham v Lindfield - Division 2

A disastrous day in the field saw Lindfield face a record total in their 45 over clash at the West Chilt Recreation Ground.

Losing the toss, the visitors toiled in the heat as openers Morne Louw and Louis Storey set about the Lindfield seamers. Storey was the more aggressive of the two bringing up his century in just 84 balls, whilst Louw was just a little less destructive with a run-a-ball 129.

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With some useful runs down the order, the homes side racked up 337 for 6 in their allocated overs. Farhad Reza was the pick of the Lindfield bowlers with 3 for 55 and Simon Shivnarain supported with 2 for 52.

Realistically, the Swans were never going to get close to the mammoth total even with opener Max Kidman going for a golden duck, however what was to come was bitterly disappointing.

Only Toby Shepperson (61) provided any resistance as nine of the eleven batsmen failed to reach double figures. Ben Lucking and Charlie Davies took three wicket apiece as the visitors meekly finished on 103 in just 23 overs.

The Swans take on Cuckfield in the first of two huge derby games in the run in to the end of the season.

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