Littlehampton still not safe after home defeat

They would have secured their survival with victory at home to fellow strugglers Pagham on Saturday but they lost by three wickets. Now any one of five teams could still be relegated from Sussex League Division 3 West.

Bottom-of-the-table Arundel trail second-from-bottom Little-hampton by 20 points and, if Arundel win at Billingshurst on Saturday, Littlehampton, Pagham, Slinfold or Henfield could still go down.

Littlehampton captain Dan Rive said: “When we started bowling on Saturday, we already knew that Arundel had won but things are still in our own hands.

“Arundel have a difficult game at Billingshurst on Saturday and we have a difficult one at Henfield but we know that 11 points will see us safe.”

Littlehampton were put into bat against Pagham and got off to a strong start with Tom Lee and Michael Askew putting on a half-century stand for the first wicket.

Lee fell for 25 but Littlehampton then lost five more quick wickets to leave them 95-6 and that soon became 118-7.

Rive, who went in at No 9, top-scored with 40 but Littlehampton were all out for 166.

Wayne Green finished with 7-55 from 20 overs for Pagham.

That total looked as though it would be enough when Pagham were reduced to 50-6 but Michael Hales (61 not out) and Stuart Rutter (47) batted well to take Pagham to victory.

Hales offered just one half-chance in his innings when he edged off-spinner James Askew to keeper Michael Askew but the ball went in and then out of his gloves.

Rive and Ryan Budd both took three wickets for Littlehampton.

Rive added: “Tom and Michael batted extremely well at the start of our innings but we then just folded like a pack of cards.

“We didn’t think 166 was going to be enough but we had them 50-6 and were totally on top.

“It was a very tough chance that we put Hales down with and he then batted well with Stuart Rutter. Our heads then started to drop and the intensity went out of the game.”