Haywards Heath, Lindfield and Cuckfield dominate cricket second tier

Cuckfield won easily when they hosted newly promoted Findon. Cuckfield won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Joe Cambridge and Nipun Karunanayake took the score to 79 off 15 overs before Nipun clipped Drew Hammersley to deep square leg for 30.

Dom Sear (17) and Cambridge (62) fell in quick succession to leave Cuckfield 128-3.

Heath look for quick premier return.

The scoring slowed considerably with Dan Turner and Charlie Douglas-Hughes succumbing trying to push up the rate. But skipper Ben Candfield and Ollie Graham wrestled back control and Candfield’s 27-ball 45 included two big sixes, while Graham finished on 53 off 52.

Cuckfield finished on 240 on a pitch that had begun to show signs of spin.

The hosts started with spin from both ends as Douglas-Hughes and Josh Hayward set about trying to squeeze the batsmen.

Douglas-Hughes removed Bradley Bridson and Matthew Glover to leave Findon 18-2.

Hayward removed Archie Cairns for 0 after bowling four consecutive maidens.

Fit-again Nick Patterson took two wickets and Cuckfield’s spin heavy attack continued to take wickets at regular interval, leaving Findon all out for 98 as Hayward finished with 3-8 and Patterson with 2-27.

Haywards Heath v Burgess Hill

Heath continued their impressive start to the season in the local derby v Burgess Hill at Clair Park.

Heath won the toss and stand-in skipper Jonny Phelps elected to bat.

Season starts with T20 double victory.

Phelps and Jethro Menzies batted beautifully. Phelps was in imperious form racing to 86 off 50 balls with 11 fours and four maximums.

At 117 for 0 in 14 overs Heath looked likely to score 300 but Sam Remfry bowled a beauty to Phelps to remove him.

Ben Matthew was trapped for 20 by Remfry and James Caddick was bowled by Joe Maskell. Chris Blunt struck 22 but was bowled by Lewis Mamoany when trying to up the pace.

Jethro Menzies was bowled by Maskell for 89 having built a well-paced innings. Hill started to take regular wickets to in the end restrict Heath to 277 in 44.3 overs. Joe Maskell finished with impressive figures of 6 for 39.

In reply Heath started with Jemuel Cabey bowling a 10 ball first over conceding 10 wides but picking up the wicket of Remfry for no score.

PJ and Wajid looked in good touch. At 56 for 1 Hill had a glimmer of hope. Phelps bought himself on and turned the game on its head bowling Wajid for 28 and removing captain Kev Ramsay, Nathan Cooper and Lew Mamoany without scoring.

Menzies bowled a beauty to PJ knocking back his poles. This left Hill on 60 for 6. Hill dug in and the last four applied themselves.

Maskell produced a cracking 69 but succumbed to Cabey's second wicket caught behind by Michael Platt on his home debut. Hill were bowled out for 211 with Luke Morris 22, Luke Vick 29 and Dan Strange 22 chipping in. Ben Matthew took 2-27, Cabey 2-47 and there was 5-41 from MoM Phelps.

Lindfield v St Peters

Lindfield made it two wins from two in a pulsating game on the Common, thanks to a MoM performance from home debutant Steve Lazars.

Electing to bat, Lindfield were soon in trouble with the top three removed with just 15 on the board. Captain James Aggio-Brewe fell second ball to Sri Lankan Nimanda Madushanka (2 for 40). With Simon Shivnarin dismissed soon after, the hosts were 30 for 4, however Steve Lazars and James Scott had other ideas. Lazars struck 22 fours and 3 sixes in his dominant 141. Scott made an intelligent 41 and they put on 180.

With late slogging Lindfield finished with 257 for 7.

St Peters also lost four wickets for 30 runs, thanks to superb opening spells from Scott Pedley (2 for 42) and Dom Morgan (2 for 41). However, Madushanka (68) Aaron Andrews (30) and Sam Wheatley (63) dragged the visitors back into it.

With eight required off the final over, and nine wickets down, 16 year old Jayson Butler was asked to see the home side over the line. He kept his cool and Lindfield won by just three runs.