Middleton and Chichester Priory Park cricketers win trophies in County Ground showpiece finals

It was third time lucky for Middleton CC’s second XI in the Sussex T20 Trophy final at Hove.

Having made the final for the third year in a row, Middleton were out to bring the trophy home after losing the two previous finals.

Middleton lost the toss and were put in to bat by Hastings.

After a slow start with the bat due to some tight overs from the Hastings opening bowlers, the runs started flowing for Middleton halfway through the innings.

Overseas player Nick Gibbo and Andy Grieg staged a great partnership of 62, with Greig being caught on 30 from 32 balls.

Brandon Hanley came in and the fireworks were on display from ball one. Hanley cleared the rope with some massive sixes and creative reverse sweeps.

Gibbo scored 35 off 44 balls and Hanley an impressive 49 off 23.

Hastings took six wickets in the last two overs, mainly from run-outs, but Middleton posted 140 runs from their 20 overs.

In the Hastings reply Middleton were on top from the start with Hanley taking wickets in the first, third and fifth overs.

Gibbo and Craig Fowle took a wicket apiece in the sixth and seventh overs and Hastings were in trouble at 24-5.

Hastings ended up 36 runs short on 104-9 and pick of the bowlers were Hanley with 3-8, Phoenix Ashworth with 2-13 and Fowle with 2-17.

It was a great team performance and Middleton’s players and supporters enjoyed celebrating the breaking of their Hove hoodoo.

Chichester Priory Park Cricket Club won the Sussex Champions League under-16 final at The County Ground, Hove.

They beat Crowhurst Park CC in a super-over at the end of a thrilling final.

Put into bat, Chi found it hard going under the floodlights against some excellent bowling. They posted 127-6 from the allotted 18 overs, Dominic Ortlepp-Atkins top-scoring with 33.

Priory found boundaries hard to come by but were boosted by 27 extras.

Crowhurst looked confident as they strode out to reply and they started well, looking relatively comfortable.

Toby Burdekin top-scored with 41 before being bowled by Lewis Hawes.

The pressure of the chase tell before Crowhurst moved up a gear. The chase ebbed and flowed and Crowhurst needed a run a ball off the last three overs.

From the final over Crowhurst needed three: first ball, dotl; second ball, run-out; third, dot; fourth, one run; ififth ball, clean bowled.

Crowhurst need one to tie, two to win. Freddie Gillet bowls, the batter misses, the keeper has a slight fumble, they go through for one run, they turn and try a – run-out – tie!

In the super over, Crowhurst bated first. Gillet bowled well but they hit 10 off the over. Gillett and Ortlepp-Atkins replied and scored 10 off the first five balls – then Gillett hit the last ball or four.

CPPCC thanked all involved and their hosts, the Sussex Cricket Foundation.