Horley Cricket Club round-up: Troubles with the bat continue for the firsts

Horley were put in and their troubles with the bat continued from previous weeks, meaning they struggled to get any early momentum.

Even though Anthony Puttick (16) and Nathan Baily (15) both made solid starts, Horley still found themselves 32-3 with 10 overs gone. This was down to good bowling from Anthony Brown (3-45), Dominic Brown (3-61) and a terrible mix up leading to Baily getting run out.

Ben Stewart, settling in to first-team cricket at the age of just 16, once again looked to be a steady presence at number four and was going well with Ben Davies until Davies was clean bowled for 16 by Dominic Brown.

With both Browns bowling 16 overs each, Horley just needed to try and bat as many of the 50 overs as they could. However, Stewart was stumped for 27 off the bowling of Anthony Brown and then another quick wicket claimed by Chris Fewson (2-15) left Horley at 91-8, with 21 overs still to bat. Adam Stephenson (24 not out) joined Will Taylor (34) at the crease and they dug in and scored when they could without taking any risks to make sure Horley had a total to bowl at. They shared a 57-run partnership for the ninth wicket which could have been crucial. Taylor fell to the returning Dominic Brown in the last over and Horley ended on 151-9 after their 50 overs, meaning Effingham had 45 overs to chase it down in this timed game.

Feeling like the momentum had shifted their way after that lower order partnership, Horley were hoping to take some early wickets. They opened with their usual pair of Will Taylor (1-40) and Ben Davies (4-46). With both openers being careful not to give their wicket away, Davies made the first breakthrough in the eight over and then claimed his second victim in his very next over, leaving Effingham 15-2 after 10.

Jordan Bond (23) was counter-attacking from the other end to try and put some impetus into his team’s innings. Davies eventually had him caught by Puttick and it didn’t take him long to find another victim, trapping the Effingham skipper lbw, and with the score at 65-4, Horley felt they had a real chance of victory.

Benji Thomas (54) and Chris Fewson (17) batted sensibly in a 62 partnership over the next 13 overs, which deflated the Horley fielders. Skipper Charlie Robins (1-37) brought himself back on and took the wicket of Fewson with six overs to go. In the next over, Taylor snuck one through the defences of Thomas, giving Horley a lift that they desperately needed, meaning Effingham required 23 off the last five overs.

Will Farnsworth (23 not out), accompanied by Oliver Ralton (six not out), made sure that Horley hope was short-lived by constantly finding gaps in the field and securing the win in the 43rd over.

Not the day Horley were after but they will look to pick themselves back up again when they welcome Newdigate on Saturday 18 June.

A half-century from skipper Andrew Thomas and three wickets for Luke Smith helped Horley 2nds beat Newdigate by 16 runs in Surrey County League 2nd XI Division One.

After being inserted, Horley's openers got off to a flyer with an opening partnership of 67 between Thomas and Harry Grimwood, before Grimwood fell to Archie Davis for 32, including five fours.

Thomas continued to anchor the innings before falling the ball after he reached 50, leaving Horley on 120-4.

Richard Waddington and Andrew Reid then built a solid 50 partnership with some great running between the wickets, before Waddington was out for 36. Some more incredible running from Reid (44 not out) and Smith saw Horley pass 200 and end up on 206-5 from their 45 overs.

Newdigate’s chase started well, with the top order chipping in with runs and with some lose bowling from Horley. The visitors were 100-4 from 22 overs, but the introduction of Matt Reid and Thomas, who took place off the ball, put the pressure back on the batting team.

Pressure continued to build as good fielding backed up good bowling. Eventually wickets began falling regularly, with Thomas taking two, Chris Cosham, Matt Reid and Waddington taking one each and Daniel Sired from Horley’s Under-14s taking his first 2nd XI league wicket.

Smith ended the innings with some good death bowling, taking 3-24 from his nine overs as Newdigate were restricted to 190-9 from their 45 overs.

A 90-run partnership by Rob Rigby (63) and Bailey Warren (40) helped Horley 3rd XI win at home against Warnham 1st XI and maintained their winning start to their first season in Sussex League Division 11 West (North).

Warnham opted to bat first on a warm, sunny afternoon in Copthorne. Clever bowling saw Warnham score slowly, but wickets were at a premium. Naveed Sherwani was again the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 15 while spinners Aidan Spalding and Ryan Bunn picked up a wicket each.

Sam Terry was unlucky to be wicketless conceding only 31 runs off eight overs even when bowling at the death. J Nixon was the top scorer for Warnham helping them post 160-5 off their allocated 40 overs.

Another Warren family opening stand helped Horley on their way to 44 before the first wicket fell, with Stewart Warren bowled for a useful 20. This is where the big hitting Rigby and steady Bailey Warren (40) came together and took charge of the bulk of the chase.

Warnham also found wickets hard to come by, but M Bellamy bowled well for his 1-26 off nine overs.

When Rigby and Warren fell it was down to Ryan Bunn (19 not out) and Danny Patel (three not out) to bring Horley home with Bunn doing it in style with a huge six, much to the delight of the small crowd who had gathered at the Jubilee Fields to cheer on Horley.

Second-placed Horley will look to maintain their unbeaten promotion chase when they travel to Crawley to play top-of-the-table Kilnwood Vale 1st XI on Saturday, which will no doubt be a stern test.

Horley’s Under-14s picked up their second win on the bounce in the Surrey Junior Cricket Championship Tier One (North), beating Purley by 19 runs.

Purley put Horley in and after in-form Daniel Sired scored 16 in a steady opening partnership of 32 with Artie Hoskins, a flurry of wickets brought Sam Terry in at number eight with the score at 55-6. A steadfast seventh-wicket partnership of 35 with Henry Grimwood helped steady the ship and when Grimwood was run out on 20, Alex Mutton put the Purley attack to the sword with 25 from 12 balls to set a modest 123-8 from 25 overs.

Terry put in a ferocious spell of opening bowling, dismissing three of the top order, leaving Purley reeling at 24-4.

Purley skipper Shiv Tailor produced some fine stroke-play but was dismissed by Horley’s other paceman, Ollie Millard. Assisted by off-spinner Aidan Spalding with two wickets, Millard picked up another and Mutton topped a fine performance with a wicket too.

Terry returned to claim his fourth wicket in a man of the match performance and Purley were bowled out for 104.