Sussex Premier League: Top three all beaten – Horsham, Roffey and Worthing among winners
It was a topsy-turvy day in cricket’s Sussex Premier League as the top three all lost and bottom side Worthing gained their first win of the season.
Preston Nomads remain top, 17 points clear of Three Bridges and 24 beyond Cuckfield, who lost to seventh-placed East Grinstead.
It was a good weekend for Roffey and Horsham, both holding their nerve to win when the opposition had the upper hand.
Preston Nomads 223 all out (50.2 overs) Roffey 226-6 (50.2 overs)
Roffey won by 4 wickets
After inserting Preston Nomads, hosts Roffey bowled and fielded well to restrict the league leaders to 223 all out after Toby Munt had set the scene by dismissing Nathan Poole with the first ball of the match.
Harnoop Kalsi then took three wickets, including Sussex’s Zach Lion-Cachet, often a heavy scorer against Roffey. Jonty Jenner came in with all guns blazing, hitting 5 sixes and a four in his 17 ball 38, but once Will Fenwick trapped him, Jamie Atkins took 3 wickets in a marathon 25 overs, before Munt returned, promptly polishing off the tail. Eight Nomads batsmen reached double figures, but nobody got further than Jenner.
In reply Roffey were soon 18-2, including the wicket of prolific skipper Matt Davies. With two scalps apiece for Daniel Birrell and Captain Nav Patel plus one for Ravi Jadav and a run out, Roffey teetered to 124-6, requiring another hundred to complete an unlikely looking victory.
Theo Rivers, batting serenely on 56 not out, was joined by wicketkeeper Saj Nizam and the pair knocked off the runs with more than eight overs to spare. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds, with Nomads pressing hard all the way. This was Rivers’ eleventh Premiership century for Roffey, and one of his very best, and, with Nizam, whose 50 not out included three towering sixes and four boundaries, the unbroken seventh wicket partnership reached 102.
Jubilant Matt Davies told the County Times: “They put on 36 for their last wicket, which we were not happy with, and then, when we were six down with such a long way to go, it wasn’t looking good for us, but Theo and Saj were a class act!
“Nomads are a good side with a strong bowling unit, and it was tough, so I’m delighted!”, while Nizam said: “I haven’t been batting well this season, but we had plenty of time, so I thought it’d be OK once I got my eye in.”
Disappointed Nav Patel commented: “We had our chances, but Roffey are always a tricky side to beat – especially up here.”
Roffey move up a place to sixth and remain at home on Saturday against Cuckfield.
Horsham 240-8 (58 0vers), Three Bridges 233 all out (51.2)
Horsham won by 7 runs
Horsham bounced back with an excellent win after deciding to bat at Three Bridges, yet on 120-1 with skipper Will Beer going well, much more was promised.
But Conor Golding and Ben Lucking had other ideas, with Horsham slipping to 176-7. Beer, opening, top-scored with 89, and Bertie Foreman between Sussex matches, made 47, before thirties down the order from Sam Martin-Jenkins and George Briance posted a useful, but by no means killer 240, Golding and Lucking each taking three wickets.
Responding, Bridges recovered from a shaky 30-2, with 50 from in form Michael Cowdrey and 48 from skipper Joe Walker, opener James Russell going on to score 62.
But, six batsmen made only 14 between them, with Horsham chipping away with regular wickets. Bridges, though reached 233-7, with Lucking on 19, needing only eight more with time enough. However, a caught and bowled by Will Beer and two last gasp wickets for Oliver Avinou saw the last three wickets fall without further addition, Horsham winning by seven runs with four balls remaining, Avinou ending with 3-35, and Beer 3-58.
Horsham remain fifth, returning home to take on struggling Worthing on Saturday.
Skipper Will Beer said: “That was a great win for us, we could have done with 15 or 20 more, but they bowled well. With Jayden (Goodwin) gone home I decided to open, which I’d done for Sussex and it was good to have Bertie Foreman playing for us after being in the Sussex team (in Wales the day before). We’ve been a bit unlucky with the weather, but if we can carry on winning we’ll move up the table!”