Littlehampton off to mark with 17-run win over Slinfold

Littlehampton started their season with a 178-run thumping at Bognor Regis last Saturday when they were bowled out for just 104.

But on Saturday, Littlehampton amassed a total of 255-8 and then dismissed Slinfold for 238, and Rive said: “We’ve gone from one extreme to the other but this is an important win as it give the players belief that we can win games.

“Although we’ve played only two games, it moves us off the bottom and now we have to target the teams around us like Slinfold, Henfield, Arundel and Pagham. Those are the games that we’re going to have to win this season.”

After being stuck into bat, openers James Askew and Sajid Khan got Littlehampton off to an excellent start with a 111-run partnership in 20 overs.

Askew was first out for 70 after hitting 11 fours and one six, while Khan soon followed for 39.

Chris Heberlein added 50, with six fours, before Amjad Mohsin, at number nine, hit an unbeaten 30, with five fours and one six, as Littlehampton finished on 255-8 from their 53 overs.

Harrison Webb and Charlie Haire both picked up three wickets for Slinfold.

Slinfold slipped to 49-4 in their reply but Haire then came to the crease and crashed 111, with 15 fours, as wickets still fell around him.

When he was eighth out with the score on 230, Littlehampton sensed victory and quickly dismissed Harry Swetman and Phil Awcock, who was run out by Heberlein, to dismiss their visitors for 238 and seal a morale-boosting win,

Captain Rive led by example and took 6-40 from 13 overs, with five of his victims either bowled or LBW.

He said: “I thought our total was about par – but it was a competitive total as it proved with their chase.

“It was pleasing to get the 10 points on the board for reaching 200

“We then got them 49-4 and kept chipping away, although I was getting a bit worried when they put on 49 for the seventh wicket in good time with Haire still at the crease.

“But once we got him out, we got the other two wickets inside two overs.”

Littlehampton travel to Findon on Saturday. Askew is unavailable and Heberlein could be out as well, but Guy Souch could return.