‘Nearly men’ Pulborough run hot favourites Eastbourne close

Pulborough were the nearly men again as they came agonisingly close to a first win of 2013 against hot promotion favourites Eastbourne.

Playing away at a Saffrons ground hit by heavy rain the night before, Boro skipper Lee Callagan took six wickets to limit the hosts to 173-9.

In reply Imran Khan hit a good half century but in the end Pulborough just fell short to give early Division 2 leaders Eastbourne their fourth win from four.

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“We’re nearly there but we are just in need of that first win,” Callagan said. “Every week we’ve been close to victory or nearly there so it is a little frustrating.

“But on the plus side we were missing a number of players and we’re the first team to take points off Eastbourne, even though it was only a couple.”

The overnight rain nearly put pay to the match, but it did go ahead and Eastbourne opener Toby Finzel his a measured 59, with fellow opener Dan Wells 37. Callagan’s medium pace yielded him 6-53, while Boro’s only spinner on the day, overseas player Chamikara Mudalige bowled well for 3-31.

Pulborough showed 173 was a manageable target even on a slow track, but after a slick 59 Khan again got out to a bad ball, top edging as he tried to play around the corner to give a catch to the slips, and he lacked proper support as last man Callagan was bowled only a few overs short of holding on for a draw.

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James Chriss did his job at the other end for an unbeaten 19 and Callagan added: “We could have won the match and certainly should have got a draw, but Eastbourne are a pretty good outfit and I’m expecting them to be up there.”

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