Horley Hackers beaten by Hailsham Royals in Sussex Slam semi

The four-wicket loss was no disgrace against a club whose first team play in the third tier of the Sussex league, compared to Horley being in the fifth tier in Surrey – especially as Hailsham’s first-team skipper Jason Tibble hit a match-winning 54 off 30 balls after taking 3-17 in the Horley innings.

The start of Slam finals day at Horsham CC was delayed as the pitch was wet, so the two semi-finals were shortened from 20 overs aside to 15.

Hackers skipper Ryan Bunn elected to bat first and started with a bang by hitting a six, but was caught next ball by Tibble off Will Royal. Aryan Patel became Tibble’s first victim in the fourth over, caught by Ollie McDonald for 9, and Toby Davie fell in the sixth, to the same combination. Molanguri was bowled by Tibble two balls later and Horley were struggling at 37-4.

Luke Smith was bowled by Tom McDonald in the eighth over then Ben Davies and Ant Puttick began rebuilding Horley’s innings. With batting conditions still not easy, boundaries were rare but they kept the scoreboard ticking until Puttick picked out the fielder on the boundary at backward square leg and fell for 26 (15 balls) off the last ball of the 11th over.

Henrick Cook joined Davies and their quick running kept adding to the total, and in the 14th over a Davies two took him to the career landmark of 1,000 Slam runs. Later in the same over he edged on to his stumps but the bails stayed put and the ball went for four.

A reverse sweep for four in last over helped Davies finish on 28 not out and Cook was run out for 12 off the last ball, with Horley ending their 15 overs on 111-7, which felt like a reasonable score in the conditions.

The first over of Hailsham’s reply was eventful, as Cook bowled Shibin Abraham first ball, was hit for six by Dan Payton with the fifth, but bowled him next ball. Ryan Smith bowled Will Royall in the second over and Cook (3-13) shattered Andrew Anthony’s stumps at the end of the third to leave Hailsham 16-4.

Sully Hallett and Ollie McDonald began hitting out to wrestle back control but McDonald stood on his stumps in the sixth over to give Molanguri a wicket.

Hailsham’s first XI players are under restrictions in the Slam and cannot bat high up the order, so Tibble came in at the fall of the fifth wicket and swiftly took the game away from Horley.

The score raced from 38-5 after six overs to 75-6 in the 11th, when Hallett fell to Irfaan Baksh for 20, having been hit on the pad then nudging the ball on to his stumps while Horley were appealing for lbw.

Two overs later Tibble had battered his way to 54 (four sixes and three fours) and retired, with the score on 101. There wasn’t much work left for his team-mates to do and Hailsham reached 114-6 off the fifth ball of the 14th over.

Horley Hackers can be proud of their Slam season under new captain Bunn. Seven of the players are aged 22 or younger, so they can build on this campaign.