Cuckfield keep up good Sussex Premier League start by beating East Grinstead

Cuckfield 1st XI Vs East Grinstead 1st XI

Saturday’s clash between Cuckfield and East Grinstead saw last season’s title rivals challenge each other for the first time this season. On an overcast and windy morning, East Grinstead won the toss and elected to put the visitors into bat to set the target.

Grinstead’s first 5 overs consisted of some tight line and length bowling, however it didn’t take long for Henry Rodgers to find the middle of his bat following on from his century the week before.

Rodgers and Marshall settled patiently into the game and carefully chose their advances which allowed them to reach the 100 mark without the loss of a wicket. The first blow came just 5 runs after the milestone however when Marshall hauled out to long-on for 47 off the bowling of Bradley Hatchett. What was to follow was a culmination of poor decisions and regular pressure from East Grinstead as Cuckfield stumbled from 105-1 to 144-5 through the middle overs. Henry Rodgers kept his cool at the other end as wickets fell around him, meticulously picking gaps to reach the boundary and keep the scoreboard ticking over for Cuckfield. After some early pressure, spin from Aryan Kohli (4-35), Sam Rattle (0-32) and Bradley Hatchett (2-33) allowed Grinstead to get a foothold in the game, however they were unable to nullify Henry Rodgers as he proceeded to a final solo total of 134 – showing everyone first hand his vast array of talent.Cuckfield ended their innings on 246 off of 47.3 overs and Grinstead had their eyes set on trying to chase their first win of the 2024 season. Openers; Cammish and Edwards came to the crease to face an energetic Will Rodgers and Joe White who took the new ball for Cuckfield. Unfortunately for Edwards, he became victim to an excellent run-out off from Marshall at slip who used all of his momentum to find him short of the crease before the second over had been completed.From here, Grinstead’s Cammish and Bradley Hatchett did their upmost to regain early control and see off the moving ball, showing class with some lovely flowing drives through the covers and some astute running to help build a platform.This was pegged back however with the introduction of Nick Patterson (1-29) who took the scalp off Cammish and Marshall (3-31) who slowly chipped away at the rest of Grinstead’s middle order at the other end by bowling an unusual tight line for his standards. Grinstead soon found themselves 86-5 and looking for a miracle from somewhere to regain and hope to getting their first 30 points of the season.A brief counter from Grinstead’s Ben Remfry (19) and Aryan Kohli (18) gave the home team a little flourish to cheer about, but the overall target seemed too become unachievable quite quickly when Ben Candfield arrived on the scene to take 4-21 off of 3.5 overs. Candfield’s overhead diving catch to end the game rounding off his excellent bowling performance for the Cuckoos and giving them another 30 points to help their league status.

Cuckfield 1st XI Vs Rottingdean 1st XI - T20 Cup

Cuckfield 1st XI hosted Rottingdean 1st XI for the 4th round of the T20 Cup. Having won the toss, stand-in captain Nick Patterson chose to bowl first, looking to utilise any moisture in the pitch.

A brisk start by Mohammad R-Mustaq-Islam (5) and Henry Ledden (42) took Rottingdean to 21 without loss before Will Rogers (2-28) struck, having R-Mustaq-Islam caught by Joe Cambridge at mid-off. Two balls later and Sean Campleman (0) followed suit, having his off stump disturbed by a beauty of an inswinger from Rogers.

At 22-2, Cuckfield looked to exert pressure but some loose bowling saw the score progress to 68 before veteran Patterson (1-19) brought himself into the attack alongside Will Goss (2-25) who together stemmed the flow of runs with Patterson accounting for Ledden and Goss picking up the wicket of Max Butler (2).

Abdulwahb Shafi (59 not out) was joined by ex-Cuckfield player Connor Bettsworth (19) adding 37 for the fifth wicket before Bettsworth was caught by Joe White and Lon-on off Goss. Another 34 runs were added in the last 4 overs to leave Cuckfield needing 143 for victory.

Cuckfield were the happier of the two teams at the break, feeling that 142 was below par on a good pitch with a fast outfield. Max Butler gave Rottingdean the perfect start with Henry Rogers (0) adjudged LBW first ball. Brad Gayler (29) joined Joe Cambridge (32) and set about attacking the Rottingdean bowlers.

After striking 11 boundaries between them, Gayler was caught attempting to clear the ropes to start a mini collapse. From 64-1, Cuckfield lost wickets at regular intervals, just as batsmen were getting set. Ollie Graham (10) departed and after clearing the clubhouse, Will Nolan (18) followed suit.

When Greg Wisdom (4) was caught at deep midwicket off Mohammed R-Mustaq-Islam (2-11), Cuckfield needed a run a ball for the last 5 overs. George Galbraith-Gibbons (17 not out) and Will Rogers (16 not out) maneuvered the ball into gaps, ran hard and put away any loose deliveries to take Cuckfield over the line with 5 balls to spare.

Cuckfield host Hastings at Cuckfield Park in the next round of the T20 looking to continue their quest of winning the T20 Cup for the third time.

Cuckfield 2nd XI Vs St Peters 1st XI

St Peters won the toss and chose to bat. Theo Barker (0-14) and Sam Candfield (2-23) opened the bowling for Cuckfield and did very well conceding very few runs and Candfield getting the wickets of both openers.

With St Peters struggling at 24-2, Greg Wisdom (1-39) and Will Broyd (1-33) came on to bowl with St Peters looking to put some pressure back on the bowlers and up the run rate. Wisdom took a wicket with St Peters look to build a partnership.

Madushanka (59) and Craker (38) built a good partnership until Broyd got the breakthrough with a good catch from Josh Downey, leaving St. Peters 103-4. Madushanka continued to score and looked to be taking St Peters towards a defendable total.

A bowling change, though, meant Cuckfield turned to spin with Matt Slinger (2-25) and George Galbraith-Gibbons (3-41). Once the wicket of Madushanka was taken at 149-5, wickets began to fall regularly with Galbraith-Gibbons taking 3 and Slinger taking 2. This brought a close to the St Peters innings where Cuckfield bowled them out for 177.

Cuckfield started the chase well with George Galbraith-Gibbons (20) and Dominic Sear (106*). These two got us off to a good start and had a good opening partnership of 67, despite some attacking bowling from the St Peters.

Galbraith-Gibbons fell to Khan (1-49) and in came Greg Wisdom. Sear and Wisdom continued strongly, respecting good balls and taking advantage of loose deliveries. They didn’t give any chances away with Sear hitting some very strong shots, including four sixes which ended up taking him to a match winning 106 from 128 balls. Wisdom supported Sear extremely well.

The Cuckfield batsmen completed the chase with ease so Cuckfield won by 9 wickets with a great team performance.

Cuckfield 3rd XI Vs Rottingdean 2nd XI

The 3rd XI hosted Rottingdean 2s, hoping to make it an unprecedented 3 wins from the first 4 games. This was a tough ask, though, with the visiting team having come down a division and winning all their games easily so far.

With the wicket looking green after being under the covers until just before the start of play, Rottingdean were inserted after losing the toss.

Last week's opening attack of Chris Osborne and Bertie Sheldon combined again, with Osborne taking the early wicket of Patrick Stokes - thanks to a magnificent, spectacular full-length diving catch at backward point from Sam Shepherd off a fierce cut shot.

This soon became 2 down, when Osborne had Abdul Zahab trapped LBW with his next ball.

Meanwhile, opener Rory Hobbs was playing nicely and sensibly - and he and number 4, Jonjo Hobbs, battled against the miserly (and often unplayable) bowling of Osborne (2 for just 9 runs off his 8 overs, including 5 maidens) at one end, whilst cashing in on some uncharacteristic erratic bowling from Sheldon (1-67 from his 8 overs) at the other, to build an important partnership.

This was only broken by Shepherd (2 for 39 off 8 overs) whose left arm inswing forced an error from Jonjo Hobbs - flicking one in the air to deep mid-wicket, where Ellis Buckeridge took a safe catch.

Dan Brewer (33) punished the loose balls in supporting Rory Hobbs to a very well-made 100 before the latter was finally caught behind to give Sheldon his only wicket.

Dave Downey effected a good run out when Ben Dye took him on for an ambitious 2nd run when in search of maximising the total, but George Deverall finished the Rottingdean innings with some clean hitting against the spin of Ayan Chakravartty (0 for 45 off 8 overs) and Max Webb, during a quick-fire 34 not out, leaving a target of 239 to win.

Cuckfield's reply was shaky to start with - Dave Downey being bowled in the first over without scoring, looking to pull a ball that just didn't get up. This was soon followed by Will Burch's dismissal, this time connecting a pull shot but mis-cueing straight to one of only two fielders on the leg side, for 4.

Rob Willsdon played some nice shots during a decent partnership with Ellis Buckeridge, before Deverall took his second wicket when he also bowled Willsdon for 15. Iain Pringle (4), Max Webb (3) and Sam Shepherd (0) all came and went whilst Buckeridge played a lovely innings, hitting the ball more powerfully than ever before (helped by a new bat!) - including a huge six over square leg.

His only other support of note came from Bertie Sheldon, who scored a solid 20, before Buckeridge fell for an excellent 68 when trying to up the run rate against the bowling of Dye.

When Chakravartty and Will Ward also fell victim to Dye (the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 15 off 5 overs), the game was over with Osborne left on 6 not out and the team score on 148 - losing by 90 runs.

A disappointing result, due mostly to a solid opposition but partly to being a bowler light. But despite this, we still sit 4th in the league and only 39 points behind leaders Ifield - who host us next week.