Haywards Heath back on top - Cuckfield and Lindfield cancel each other out

Heath won the toss and decided to bat in steamy conditions. Corey Perrett and Martin Ford opened the attack for Chi and Heath struggled with the conditions and the swinging ball and Jonny Phelps nicked to first slip for 2.

Ben Matthew and Jethro Menzies played watchfully until Matthew was caught for 14. Skipper Callum Smith was dropped first ball down the leg side.

Menzies (25) was next to go but Smith played an excellent knock.

Chris Blunt went for six but Amila Thilakarathna played a gutsy innings and supported his skipper well. Smith fell for 58 and Heath were 130-5.

Thilakarathna and Dipak Karki struggled to find the gaps and Thilakarathna was caught behind for 34.

Jemuel Cabey didn’t trouble the scoring before Dipak Karki played two lovely shots behind point for two boundaries but he fell for 16 and it was 163-8.

Josiah Menzies and Dan Gee were the last two wickets to fall to Drake-Brockman and Heath were all out for 173 in 49.4 overs.

Corey Perrett with 3-39 and Thomas Drake –Brockman 3-13 were the pick of the bowlers.

The temperature dropped by about 15 degrees within the space of a couple of hours but Chi also found it hard to score.

When Chichester replied to Heath’s 173, Jethro Menzies and Jemuel Cabey caused the opening pair of Simon Hasted and Mike Smith to play and miss on a number of occasions.

Menzies got the breakthrough with Smith edging to keeper Michael Platt.

Chi started to consolidate but you felt Heath were still in the game even with the score on 83-1.

The younger Menzies (Josiah) came into the attack and undid Matt Bennison, cleaning him up for 10.

Then game the big game changer as Owen Spicer was run out direct from the boundary by Ben Matthew attempting a third and Heath had the upper hand (85-3).

Heath dropped a number of chances before Josiah Menzies had Perrett (4) caught by Phelps at first slip.

Smith decided to entice the away team and Jonny Phelps picked up two quick wickets in Ford (1) and Toft (9) – making the score 114-7.

Hasted had batted bravely but was undone by the pace of the returning Cabey who bounced him out for 50.

Cabey then bowled his best spell for Heath since his arrival and wrapped the game up with the last two wickets and Chi were all out for 133 with eight overs left.

The result put Heath back at the top but they know anyone can beat anyone in this league.

This week Heath take the short journey to play neighbours Lindfield as the intriguing battle for promotion to the premier division goes on.

Cuckfield v Lindfield - Sussex League Division 2

A crucial toss was won by Cuckfield who chose to bat first on a very flat-looking pitch.

The Lindfield openers bowled economically as George Galbraith-Gibbons and Nipun Karunanayake looked to build.

Scott Pedley got the breakthrough having Galbraith-Gibbons caught behind by Charlie Weir for 7. Soon Ben John was bowled by Dominic Morgan for 4.

Dominic Sear looked to rebuild the faltering innings and Karunanayake batted diligently with him, bringing up his 100 off 112 balls before being caught off Dominic Morgan.

With the score 167 from 40 overs, Sear looked to push on but a top edge saw him dismissed for 43.

With the engine room now at the crease, the run rate began to increase. Dan Turner and captain Ben Candfield batted with power and grace before Candfield picked out Jayson Butler after scoring 20 from 11 balls.

Turner struck 67 off 44 balls. Cuckfield ended with 280-7 from their 53 overs.

It was clear from the beginning of the Lindfield innings that a draw was the result they were looking for. Charlie Weir and Jayson Butler left anything outside of the off stump as Joe White and Greg Wisdom looked for a breakthrough.

The opening partnership brought the score to 59 from 20 overs as Cuckfield turned to spin in the hope of kickstarting a collapse.

Butler was out when Sear took a stunning diving catch at short cover off Candfield. Weir followed shortly after, again from the leg-spin of Candfield, caught by White at short third man.

Josh Hayward was beginning to settle into his spell and picked up the first of his five wickets trapping Harry Moorat LBW for 1.

Hayward picked up regular wickets as Cuckfield began to feel they were in the game. With the score at 97-5, Luke Sowton came to the crease and crafted a lovely 46 from 56 balls.

The home side fell three wickets short in their quest for a win leaving Lindfield 153-7 with Hayward claiming 5-64 and Candfield 2-28. The 13 points were not enough to stop Cuckfield slipping to second place.

Three Bridges 2nd v Cuckfield 2nd- Division 4 West

Cuckfield twos travelled to Three Bridges hoping to lay the foundations for a promotion challenge.

Cuckfield were pleased to win the toss on a hot day and elected to bat.

However, the Three Bridges opening attack of Adrian Chappell (2-36) and Alfie Pyle (2-39) initially bowled tights lines making it difficult to score.

Cuckfield’s top order, Dave Downey (33), Richie Amer (25) and Jason Oates (26), all got in but never went on to make big scores.

Then a mini mid-order collapse, instigated by Oliver Brown (4-51), meant Cuckfield were looking at a score well below par.

Evergreen James Buckeridge (23) and a captain’s innings by Sam Candfield (43) saw Cuckfield reach 205 all out.

With a score which Cuckfield thought was below par, they needed a good start in the field.

Candfield quickly removed Charles Dennis (0) and Josh Downey removed Ben Caiden (1).

Udith Molanguri (28), Danny Alderman (71) and Michael Rose (48) each contributed well for Three Bridges,

But as overs were coming to a close, a few lusty blows by Adam Cooper (31 not out) saw Three Bridges home by four wickets despite the best efforts of Greg Seed (2-29).

It was a disappointing day for Cuckfield who sit just above the relegation zone.