Horsham hammer Three Bridges - Roffey win in cup and league

In nine starts, Horsham have bowled out the opposition six times, all except once for 165 or less. Batting first, Horsham set off like a train, with Tom Johnson in full flow, and, after the 98-run opening partnership with Anish Padalkar, Joe Willis made a rapid 60.

Even when Johnson was out – for 79 – the momentum continued, with in-form skipper Nick Oxley hitting 78, followed up by contributions from Ben Chappels, Sam Bell, Ben Lister and James Brehaut. Oliver Blandford and Will O’Donnell took two wickets apiece, but a target of 328 was demanding.

Bridges crashed to 24-5, courtesy of four wickets from Lister and another from Brehaut. Blandford responded with a painstaking 55, but nobody else could support to hold out for a draw, Lister finishing with his first SPL five-wicket haul.

The maximum 30 point win enabled Horsham to regain second spot from Roffey, while East Grinstead remain top.

Skipper Nick Oxley said: “We’ve been containing sides and this was another good win for us, with everyone chipping in and playing their part.

"Ben Lister bowled exceptionally well, swinging it both ways, fully deserving his wickets. We really feel we can beat anyone at the moment and just want to keep on playing. We expect to have Michael Thornely and Will Beer back for our home match against Hastings on Saturday.”​​

Roffey v Hastings - Sussex Premier

It was a rollercoaster ride for Roffey at Crawley Road against bottom club Hastings.

Roffey won again, despite Hastings making it difficult, but with Horsham securing a maximum points win, Roffey slip to third on 209 points, two behind Horsham and 19 shy of East Grinstead, who overwhelmed Brighton in a low scoring match at the coast.

Hastings won the toss, electing to bat but soon stumbling to 26-2 after George Fleming had dismissed both openers. Visiting skipper Tom Gillespie staged a recovery with 62, in company with William Hutchings (41), but progress was contained, Hastings being 142-4 at the 40 over stage.

Roffey kept whittling away with wickets at regular intervals, until Seaver Cowley cut loose with 51 from 45 balls, including three sixes, taking his side to 244-8 from their 58 over allocation.

The six Roffey bowlers used shared the wickets, with the honours going to Fleming with 3-35

Replying, Roffey also got off to a stuttering start, needing to rebuild from 21-2. Theo Rivers again provided reassurance, but when he departed for 42, and Matt Davies was out for 35, Roffey still needed 141 with six wickets left.

Sam Henderson chipped in with 35, but, at 172-7, 75 adrift, alarm bells were ringing. However, fears were eliminated when Jas Bassan was joined by Fleming, the pair of all rounders knocking off the runs with ten balls to spare, Bassan finishing on 48, and Fleming 37, from 20 balls featuring 8 fours.

Roffey skipper Davies told the County Times: “George had a really good game, he bowled well with Alex Collins up top, but as a bowling unit we weren’t really good enough and they got too many runs.

"Then, we never quite got going with the bat after several of us got useful looking starts, but we won again. It’s tight at the top of the table, but, at the half way stage of the season, we remain in close touch with the leaders.”

Fleming added: “They got about 40 too many, but that was a lovely run chase! When I came in it was a case of now or never.”

Jas Bassan commutes to Roffey from North Kent and has been in the Sussex 2nd team, telling us: “I’m really enjoying myself with Roffey – they’re a great team, making me feel welcome, and Sussex Premiership cricket is good and competitive.”

On Saturday, Roffey travel to Brighton, who are hovering just above the relegation zone.

In the first week of the season Roffey beat them at home by 144 runs.

Bertie Joel Trophy

Roffey have reached the last eight of the Club Cricket Conference Inter-League competition - the Bertie Joel Trophy.

In their inaugural season in the competition they sailed through to the quarter-finals with a home win over Middlesex’s Harefield.

Roffey blooded some of their impressive young talent. But, electing to bat, they were obliged to rebuild from 32-2, and midway through their 45-over allocation had reached 91-3, wicketkeeper Ben Garrett getting into his stride.

Tom Marshall and Matthew Ogden took three wickets apiece, but Garrett pressed on to 81. Without any other major innings, six players reached double figures, enabling Roffey to finish on 223-9.

Harefield began brightly, but at ten overs had lost three wickets for 60, including the big scalp of New Zealand overseas Nick Kelly, trapped lbw by Jas Bassan, who took another wicket in the same over, from which point Roffey turned the screw.

The hundred did not come up until the 26th over, by which time Roffey had taken five wickets, Bassan taking 4-28.

The asking rate escalated, Harefield losing wickets steadily. Harnoop Kalsi took 2-22, Harefield eventually succumbing for 184, giving Roffey a 39-run win.

Skipper Matt Davies said: “We were playing on Saturday’s worn wicket and had four spinners in our line up, so we were confident that anything over 200 would be a challenge.”

The quarter-final is on July 24.