Sussex Cricket League round up: Important win for Roffey over Chichester while Horsham beat Brighton to go second

Premier League: Roffey made a very welcome return to winning ways with a hard-fought victory over Chichester by 23 runs which saw them move out of the bottom two.
Gotcha! Chichester celebrate a wicket, but (below) Dan Smith's late unbeaten 50 was crucial for Roffey. Pictures Derek MartinGotcha! Chichester celebrate a wicket, but (below) Dan Smith's late unbeaten 50 was crucial for Roffey. Pictures Derek Martin
Gotcha! Chichester celebrate a wicket, but (below) Dan Smith's late unbeaten 50 was crucial for Roffey. Pictures Derek Martin

Hosts Roffey were stuck into bat first and held to 201-9 with Rohit Jagota making 53, although it was the unbeaten stand of 51 not out from Dan Smith that proved decisive at the end.

For Chichester James Stedman took 3-50 and Ashton Turner 3-50.

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Turner then starred with the bat and was last out for 105 but the visitors were dismissed with five overs to spare for 178, overseas seamer Matt Varner with 4-61, his best figures of the season.

JPCT 150613 Roffey (batting ) v Chichester. Dan Smith left and Alex Southen. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 150613 Roffey (batting ) v Chichester. Dan Smith left and Alex Southen. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 150613 Roffey (batting ) v Chichester. Dan Smith left and Alex Southen. Photo by Derek Martin

Horsham moved up to second with victory away at Brighton & Hove.

The visitors recovered well after being put in and that owed much to penultimate batsman Sam Bell who hit 60 not out in a total of 214-9. For Brighton Matt Wood took 3-38 and Michael Rippon -7.

Rippon then made 91 but could not prevent the home side being dismissed for 143 as Kam Leverock took his best Horsham figures of 5-34 and Michael Munday added 4-41.

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Current champions Preston Nomads have strengthened their position at the top of the Sussex Premier League following their first win in nine starts, an impressive eight-wicket triumph at Hastings.

Nomads bowled out their opponents for less than 100 for the third week running to make short work of Hastings at Horntye Park.

Kashif Ibrahim took 5-9 and Patrick Spencer 4-34 to send Hastings tumbling to 79 all out in 42 overs, Jake Woolley with 27 was top scorer, Tom Gillespie made 24.

Nomads then took just 14 overs to reach 80-2 with Joe Gatting making 30 not out and Hugh Finzel 28.

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Elsewhere East Grinstead were frustrated by their home game with Three Bridges being called off due to a wet ground and Worthing joined Roffey in moving clear of the relegation zone with a win against Cuckfield.

Division Two: The battle at the top saw Eastbourne move above Goring, who they beat by 116 runs at The Saffrons with third placed Bexhill surprisingly beaten in a low scoring game at Crowhurst Park.

Findon and St. James’s both enjoyed wins which took them to a challenging position behind the leading three, whilst Glynde and Pulborough are the bottom two, both have failed to win in seven games to date.

Eastbourne, beaten a week earlier at Bexhill, got back to winning ways with a comfortable win at home to Goring after cracking 259-6 declared with 132 from skipper Mark Tomsett and 43 from the in form Toby Finzel, Alex Wyatt grabbed 4-49 for the visitors.

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Goring were bowled out for 143 with David Twine taking 4-56 and Richard Smith 3-31, Ben Lyons and Matt Keen each made 40.

Findon won their fourth game of the season in a five wicket home success against bottom club Pulbororugh, who they dismissed for 143 of which Jono Bennett made 66 as James Iago took 5-73.

Findon reached their target at 147-5 with Bradley Bridson making 63 not out as Bennett took 4-78.

St.James’s won by six wickets at Glynde after bowling out the home side for 97 as George Taylor took 4-12. In reply Adam Davies hit 54 not out as the visitors took the points at 99-4 from 28.3 overs.

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Middleton won their second League game of the campaign with a five wicket margin at Ifield, who they put in and bowled out for 153 with Brendan Hanley taking 5-28, top scorer was Clayton Caltsounis who made 40 not out.

Pat Colvin then made 47 not out to take Middleton home at 156-5 from 29 overs.

Division Three (West): Both Billingshurst and Stirlands won their games in Division 3 West with a gap now opening up between the top two and the rest.

Billingshurst won by six wickets at Wisborough Green with Dhanuska Mitipolarachchi 70 and Mike Burroughs 44 not out leading them past the home side’s 180-7. Alex Edwards made 77 for Wisborough Green.

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Arundel were no match for Stirlands who made it six wins in a row. Arundel were just 106 all out as Anthony Butler took 5-32.

Sean Heather’s 71 not out saw Stirlands win inside 20 overs.

Steyning enjoyed a comfortable seven-wicket win at home to Crawley Eagles. The Eagles managed just 124 as Andy Isaacs took 4-20 before Lee Mottershead made 70 in Steyning’s reply.

Pagham made most of the running at Slinfold but were eventually denied by the home side’s last pair. Pagham set Slinfold 259 to win after Metz made 113. Despite 68 from Tim Coghill Slinfold were forced to hang on at 189-9.

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Lastly, Bognor Regis and Henfield drew. Regis reached 205-9 mainly thanks to Sam Taylor’s 92. Brighton Mugochi took 4-63 though Henfield drew on 190-7.

Division Three (East): Lindfield remain top of Division 3 East but lost their unbeaten run after a last over defeat to near neighbours Haywards Heath.

Heath were reeling at 73-5 but recovered to post 161-8 mainly thanks to a sixth wicket partnership of 64. James Pearce took 4-43 and Shane Wilson-Yelvedon 3-19 then Wilson-Yelvedon hit 51 to keep Lindfield in the hunt for victory.

Heath however had other ideas and clinched victory with just two balls remaining as Jethro Menzies claimed 6-27.

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The teams just behind Lindfield closed the gap and Ansty are now 11 points behind after a high scoring draw at home to Rottingdean. Ansty posted 264-6 with Jonny Young smashing an unbeaten 150. Mohammad Islam countered with 90 as Rottingdean closed on 206-7. Young paceman Sam Palser took 4-32.

Jack Simpson’s efforts with both bat and ball saw Burgess Hill to a big win against Hellingly. Simpson made 65, Nathan Cooper 59 in Hill’s 188. Simpson then returned remarkable figures of 6-10 as Hellingly crashed to 71 all out.

Lewes Priory were once again heavily defeated as Crawley beat them by 85 runs at Southgate Park. Harry Chaudhary struck 51 but Priory restricted them to 184-9 before Chaudhary and Rhett Bridgens took four wickets each as Priory made just 99. Andrew Hartridge took 5-49 for Lewes.