Roffey win at Bognor to return to top – Horsham beaten at Haywards Heath
Roffey bounced back to top the table – by four points - with a strong win at relegation threatened Bognor, pushing Middleton back down to second after they were beaten by previously struggling Hastings.
Horsham were in a strong position with both bat and ball but paid the penalty for a mid-innings collapse, losing by one wicket in a low scoring game at Haywards Heath.
Bognor put Roffey in and had them 39-2 with prolific openers Matt Davies and Fin Roberts both gone, but 33 from Jabe Rogers steadied the ship before Andrew Rambaran and Ben Remfry (60) put on 164 for the fourth wicket.
Rambaran’s rapid 144 containing 14 fours and 4 sixes, enabling Roffey to declare on 295-6, Josh Sargeant, Michael Reynolds and Oliver Mason each taking two wickets.
In response, Bognor reached 73-1, only to stumble to 85-5 with Rambaran easing into his 5-41 return, which featured a very smart stumping by Cameron Ward, a sharp slip catch from Jabe Rogers and a superb diving grab from the bowler himself. He rounded off his fantastic day out with a catch off Oscar Harman, who shared four wickets with Frankie Cripps.
Theo Beynon-Ayres top scored with 47 and Charlie Maginnis made 44, but Roffey won by 115 runs with 16 overs unused.
Skipper Sam Henderson told the County Times: “That was a very much needed win after our tough couple of weeks. Results have gone our way this week, but we need to keep pushing forward – every game is as hard as the next.
"Rambo is an excellent player for us – we needed a strong replacement for Laclan Shaw and he fits the bill. We’re going into the last five games with good confidence.”
Roffey are at Hastings on Saturday
Horsham elected to bat at Haywards Heath and, with an abundance of Sussex experience, began well, putting on 86 for the first wicket when Chris Nash departed for 54, including 6 fours and 3 sixes.
Fellow opener skipper Will Beer made 51 before becoming a little too ambitious, and from 123-1 Horsham subsided to 169-9 as Heath captain, slow left-armer Jonny Phelps, took 5-24.
Expansive batting backed by sound fielding accounted for the cream of Horsham’s middle order, Heath using eight bowlers.
An unbroken partnership of 46 for the last wicket carried Horsham to 215-9 off their 58 over ration, with George Briance again batting determinedly – this week for 32, in company with Oliver Avinou (19) after James Guy contributed 20. Freddie Wallis ended with 3-59 from 19 overs.
Replying, Heath reached 65-1 before Horsham took wickets regularly. Umar Amin made 42 and Wallis 32, with Phelps and Ben Matthew getting 28 apiece, but, despite the modest-looking target, at 166-8 it seemed to be Horsham’s game.
But 27 from Ollie Moore, batting at ten in company with Tom Hallion, staying in for 45 balls between them, secured a tense one wicket win.
That followed Briance and Bertie Foreman’s joint tally of 7-142 off 40.1 overs, leaving Horsham eighth in the table.
Horsham president Nash said: “That was a shame, we should have won that really. But, some good stuff came from it as we rebuild. Big game next week!”
On Saturday Horsham host title challenging Middleton.
Elsewhere league newcomers West Chiltington humbled high flying Three Bridges and, after racking up nearly 400, Preston Nomads were unable to bowl out Cuckfield.