What a weekend for Down

Crawley Down beat the weather and bottom team Preston Nomads III to lift the Division 1 title on Saturday.
Hurst v CuckfieldHurst v Cuckfield
Hurst v Cuckfield

And to complete a great weekend, the following day they then defeated Palmers at Forest Row to win the Wisdom Cup.

Nomads recovered from 26-5 to post a total of 118 and rain threatened Down’s chase. But then the sun came out to enable Will Irwin (63no) to complete a nine-wicket win.

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The Wisdom 20/20 final saw Palmers win the toss and make 150 before being bowled out off the final ball. Keeper Ant Bowler claimed three catches and two stumpings.

An opening stand of 91 between Warren Barker (36) and Irwin (50) should have set up a comfortable win but the run rate slowed after their departure and it led to a tense finish.

There were still 13 required off the final over but Dave Ward followed up his 2-15 with the ball by cracking the first ball for six and then hitting two boundaries off the next three balls.

In the league, Ashdown Forest moved up to second as they took full points with a 124-run home win against Balcombe. Stefan Gooch (98), Leif Powis (88) and Oliver Holroyd-Pearce (73 and 2-22) were the chief contributors.

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There were runs galore at Colemans Hatch where Joe Cutress (98), Sean Latham (69) and Andy Barnes (59no) helped Poynings set a target of 302-4 before the hosts replied with 268-7 thanks to Tim Singer’s 127.

Dormansland took a big step towards the Division 2 title by beating second placed East Grinstead thanks mainly to Michael Phillips (110 and 4-29) and Alex Blair (5-25).

Bolney moved up to second as Himal Jayarathne (84no) and James Flower (82no) starred, while Stewart Fuller amazingly made 87 out of Horsted Keynes’ total of 119.

Not much change at the top of Division 3 as Roffey III and Cowden both won. Andy Hancock took 6-29 to set up Cowden’s win Copthorne, while Joe Rivers (56) starred in Roffey’s win at East Grinstead IV.

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The other matches were drawn, with notable efforts from Paul Jefferies (71no for Nomads IV), Adrian Whear (81 for Lindfield III) Matt Lake (52 for Turners Hill) and Andrew Petch (113 for Burgess Hill III).

The top five teams in Division 4 all won, with leaders Ditchling squeezing home by four wickets after bowling out visitors Palmers II for 141.

Their closest rivals, Crawley Down II, had Jez Farley (7-73) and Danny Todman (57) to thank for their seven-wicket win at Cuckfield IV.

Lingfield III cruised home by eight wickets as Stephen Brownsey (5-10) sent visitors SJM III crashing to 108 all out despite the best efforts of Michael Gibbs (53).

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Edenbridge II (Dominic Jordan 69no) won by the same margin at home to Cowfold (Danny Weller 86), while Colin Mansfield hit 111 and shared an opening stand of 172 with Nigel Butler (63no) as Streat II won by nine wickets at Lindfield IV (Lloyd Fielder 52).

Balcombe III won the title decider in Division 5 as Will Murrills (68) led them to a four-wicket win at home to Dormansland III, whose total of 171 included 51 from Adrian Vella.

All-rounder Megan Janman (3-6 and 28) together with Rory Beard (70) helped Ansty III to a 29-run victory at Forest Row III, while Justin Toussaint made 51 and Declan Bartlett took (5-14) as Keymer & Hassocks III beat Hurstpierpoint II.

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