GORING GRAB THE LINE

Five of the team were so young or raw they had barely an Invitation League 1st XI appearance between them before this summer. But they fielded almost without blemish, and batted second under pressure on a damp wicket and overgrown outfield in responsive partnerships with key senior innings from Chris Bird '” himself only 21 '” and skipper Duncan Waitland.

In putting in, then removing, nine Lindfield batsmen for 129, Goring gave themselves 43 overs in which to cheat relegation and did so with their second successive victory. After an half-hour wait in limbo, news arrived of Burgess Hill's defeat and consequent relegation instead of Goring, along with Lindfield, who have never been out of the first division.

Matt Keene, 14, accounted for the dangerous Kevin Chamberlain in Lindfield's first over and later judged with assurance a catch out of the sun in the deep. Bird, exemplary in the field, stuck out and up a right hand to clasp a vital, stand-breaking, reaction catch at cover.

And new rotund Zimbabwean local resident Gus McVey, all ears, chat, and pink cap, playing his ninth game for Goring, lured four batsmen to their fate with his right-arm slow. He has been a happy, key bonus acquisition for Goring.

The blemish was an inexpensive dropped skier by Matt Stevens at short cover but this younger brother of Danny Stevens wrote his detention lines by building a sixth-wicket partnership of 35 with his captain.

Earlier, the consistent Bird had bedded down to anchor the reply and survived the loss of four partners to make 19 of the first 60 runs.

Both teams had been 55 for three with 20 overs to go. Off 41, Lindfield had been 105 for five; Goring were 113 for seven. Then Waitland took nine off returning opening bowler Phil Weir but was caught at 122 for 21 off 29 balls.

With eight required off nine deliveries, the batsmen having crossed, Keene pulled the next ball for four and collected another two, to leave Graham Cornish to score two early in the final over.

Waitland commented: "I was ecstatic at winning the toss on a wet wicket but I think Dave Parry was quite happy to lose it.

"Everybody contributed. We've not had much luck but in the last few games we've started to create our own. Richard Stanley held a stunning catch against Pagham last week, now Chris does it today.

" This is such a young team to stay up. We've been bottom for some time and not many people were putting money on us to survive.

"But our policy of playing positive cricket has got its final reward. The previous week we won off the last ball. That was our second win, and our first for 10 weeks '” when we beat Burgess Hill.

"This time, again, the result, and our fate, was in doubt until the very last over of the season. Either side could have won and both teams played it in the right spirit. It'll be a shame not to be playing Lindfield next year."