Difficult day for Chippingdale – Findon are flying – defeats for Worthing and Broadwater

Chippingdale CC endured another difficult afternoon as they slipped to a seven-wicket Sussex League Division 3 West defeat – this one against Chichester Priory Cricket Club.

That was despite spirited batting performances from skipper Josh Bourne and wicketkeeper Sam Avinou.

Coming into their third game of the season on the back of a heavy defeat away to Steyning, Chipps were desperate to respond on home soil but ultimately found themselves second best against a strong Chichester side.

Winning the toss and electing to bat on a slow surface, Chippingdale opened with Tugnutt and Hillier and made a steady start before Hillier chipped a catch to Wergen off the bowling of Crookham with the score on 22.

Rustington v Findon in pictures by Stephen Goodger.

Tugnutt battled hard but struggled to find fluency and was eventually bowled by Scott for 15 as Chipps searched for momentum.

The innings was then rebuilt by captain Bourne and Avinou, who combined for an outstanding 119-run partnership that briefly swung the game back in Chippingdale’s favour.

Bourne led from the front with an excellent 70 before being bowled, while Avinou produced a composed and valuable 59 behind an innings full of sensible strokeplay.

Overseas player Amrit Dass added a quickfire 10 as Chipps attempted to accelerate towards a competitive total. However, in trying to force the pace late on, wickets tumbled alarmingly.

From a commanding 164-3, Chippingdale collapsed to 197-8 before eventually being dismissed for 203, a score that looked around 50 runs light on a dry afternoon.

After a welcome break from the hot conditions, Chichester began their reply with Toby Toft and Tim Wergen at the crease. Bourne made the perfect start for Chipps, trapping Toft LBW for just one in the opening over to raise hopes of an upset.

Those hopes were slowly diminished as Wergen and Hawes steadied the innings with a 93-run partnership. Ella Bourne eventually broke the stand when she trapped Hawes LBW for 36.

But with the score on 94, Chichester overseas player Elijah Stead joined the dangerous Wergen and the pair took complete control of the contest with a dominant 90-run stand. Wergen finally fell for an excellent 105, bowled by Amrit Dass with only 10 runs needed, but the outcome was already beyond doubt.

Dobbs and Stead calmly completed the chase, with Stead sealing victory in style by striking the winning six as Chichester claimed maximum points with a seven-wicket win and an over to spare.

It was another tough day at the office for Chippingdale, who now travel to Middleton twos hoping to rediscover the form that served them so well last season.

In the same division, Findon piled up 337 in the sunshine at Rustington – and it was too much for the home side.

Glenn Bridson’s 110 was the highlight of the visitors’ innings, while Rustington were all out for 169 in reply.

The result leaves Findon fifth in the table while Rustington are bottom. Billingshurst are top – the only team to have won all three of their opening games.

In Division 2, Worthing lost by 16 runs at home to St James Montefiore. Harry Merritt-Blann was in form again, taking 3-38 as St James were restricted to 225, but skipper Nick Ballamy (43) was the only batter to pass 30 as Worthing ended on 209-9.

In Division 4 West, Broadwater lost by five wickets away to Three Bridges twos. Les Ward struck 76 and Paul O'Sullivan 72 in Broadwater’s 257-7 but Bridges got home despite four bowlers taking a wicket apiece.

At a sweltering Wivelsfield Green Rec, Southwick and Shoreham CC skipper Harry Dorgan had little hesitation in asking Haywards Heath to bat on what proved an excellent wicket and fast outfield.

Alas, stands of 41 between Med Hayes and Dylan Carter and 73 between Carter and Kamil Ehsan made it a tough start for the bowling attack of Harry Sutton and Gary Mussen.

Showing great maturity, 15 year old Carter powered his way to 63 off 48 balls with 6 4s and 3 6s before falling to Dorgan's caught and bowled. When Ehsan followed caught behind on 35, the away XI managed to gain some control as Dorgan and Ahmed Oryakhail put on the squeeze.

Despite wickets falling steadily four other batters reached double figures without getting away. Heath were eventually all out in the 39th over for a gettable 218.

Dorgan headed the bowling figures 4-42 while Mussen and Oryakhail sweated for two apiece.

In reply the Wickers were in trouble against tight bowling From the Heath attack, Adam Walter and Jez Wheeler were removed for just one run each and big hitter Sutton went for 14.

Dean Ghasemi managed a subdued 21 before he was bowled Ben Morris. Fortunately keeper Craig Dawson who scored 56 (10 4's)and captain Dorgan with 37 steadied the ship and allowed for chance of victory. Farhad Barakzai added a further 20 but when Tom Bell carelessly gave his wicket away the game was up, Southwick and Shoreham subsided to 179 all out off 34 overs.

Ben Morris took 4-45 with a brace each for Dipak Karki and Abdul Hamdard who bowled a tricky opening spell.

Dorgan said: "We were happy at tea chasing 219 as it seemed a par score but some good bowling upfront pinned us back. in the end we were close but just ran out of batsmen."

At Buckingham Park the Southwick and Shoreham 2nd XI triumphed over Burgess Hill 5ths – 17-year-old Fin Walter took 6-9 and was on a hat-trick twice. He then biffed 39 runs from 33 balls to take the team home.

The Southwick Sheilas made it two wins in two in the scorching heat against St Matthias. Having been put into bat first the Sheilas scored an impressive 358 for 1 before putting on an excellent bowling and fielding display to limit St Matthias to 208 for 8.

In Division 4 West, Crawley Eagles (186-9) beat Littlehampton (185 all out) by one wicket.

After winning the toss and electing to bat on a sunny day, Littlehampton were well positioned at 107-1 following a patnership of 98 between Chris Heberlein (50) and Will Ashby-Skyrme (42).

The rest of the order struggled to capitalise on the good start and the team were bowled out with just over 10 overs unused.

Littlehampton battled well, Dan Matheson (3-26) and Nathan Smart (5-22 including four maidens) the pick of the bowlers. However the team fell to an agonising 1 wicket defeat with nine balls left.

In Division 7 West Littlehampton 2nd XI (188 all out) beat Chi Priory Park 3rd XI (187 all out) by 1 run.

An absolute thriller that went to the final over with all 3 results possible. Maddy Shadab scored his fourth 50 of the season, supported by Dan Peach (44) and Ryan Budd (38) to post a competitive total of 188.

The game swung one way and then the other all afternoon, with Matt Wilkinsons 8 overs going for 12 runs building the pressure, and with wickets following, and Chichester 122-7 Littlehampton were favourites.

An excellent innings by G Hilobkirk of 72 put Chichester in pole position, needing 13 off the last to win and 12 to tie, he started going 6-4-1.

The fourth ball of the final over saw a stumping, leaving Chichester 9 down, then a mix-up between the runners on ball 5 saw Littlehampton hang on and win by 1 solitary run.

In Division 10 West, Ram 3rd XI (80/4) beat Littlehampton 3rd XI (76 all out) by 6 wickets.

For the 2nd week in a row Littlehampton were bowled out for under 100. Mark White (26) secured the side 2 batting points, assisted by a resolute innings from his daughter Erin as they put on 27 for the 8th wicket.

There was fight in the field, wickets for Erin White, Liam King and Doil Ponweera, but it was in vain as Ram chased the target in the 23rd over with three consecutive sixes.

In Division 12 West (South), Littlehampton 4th XI (297/6) beat Birdham 2nd XI (162 all out) by 135 runs.

Littlehampton posted an imposing total, with Ian Birbeck (86) leading the way opening, and Josh Bruford (57*) making his highest score.

Top scorer was 13 year-old Stanley Bristow, falling 3 short of a maiden century, scoring a fantastic 97. In reply Birdham scored 162, with Kian Finneran-Arm taking his first ever 4 wicket haul, ending with figures of 4/25.