EP beat Clymping to seal second place

EP skipper Richard Laker was left to think of what might have been, though, and is hoping to challenge for promotion into the Sussex League next season. He said: “In my first year as 1st XI captain, to take the team to its highest ever position in this league is a huge achievement.

“The team, as a whole, along with some memorable individual performances, has made it great.

“However, as I pride myself on maximising every opportunity, I do feel that we let ourselves down in at least three games, one of which was against Wisborough (champions) at the beginning of the season.

“Had we have not messed up on those occasions, we could have found ourselves closer to promotion.

“It is both the target of mine and East Preston to have in place what will be required to gain promotion to the Sussex League next year.”

Clymping captain Chris Green won the toss, having lost seven in a row, and put EP into bat on Saturday.

Graham Merritt-Blann took a couple of wickets in his first bowl for 12 years but Gary Weedon and Tom Reeves put on 157 for the fourth wicket as EP scored 253-5 before declaring after 43 overs.

Weedon struck his maiden league hundred after hitting 15 fours and one six as he scored 117 from 115 balls and Reeves scored 67 before he became wicketkeeper Stuart Hanks’ first wicket for the first team. Hanks had a bowl as Clymping were short of bowling options.

Clymping got off to a flyer in their reply as Merritt-Blann and Roger Green put on 89 for the opening wicket.

Green fell for 21, before Merritt-Blann was out with the score on 107 after hitting 81 off 60 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes.

Karl Pierce added 34 but Clymping lost their last six wickets for just 10 runs as they fell from 170-4 to 180 all out.

Off-spinner Laker led the way for EP with 6-66 from 17.4 overs and paceman Mark Coskin picked up three wickets.

Clymping skipper Chris Green said: “We knew that out best chance of winning the game was to try to chase whatever they set us as we didn’t have a very strong bowling attack.

“Graham bowled well and everyone did their best for us.

“But, all credit to Weedon, who batted well.

“We then got off to a good start, with Graham hitting the ball to all parts and that got us off to a flyer.

“Our run-rate was managable and we needed about five an over for the last 20 overs but we lost too many quick wickets and they mopped up our tail.”

Clymping host Serendib on Saturday, while EP travel to Felbridge.