The 1st Central County Ground hosts Boys' Junior Finals Day

The 1st Central County Ground hosted The Newbery Junior Sussex Cricket Leagues Boys’ Finals Day on Saturday.

The showpiece event for boys’ club cricket in the county featured the under-9/under-10 Softball Cup as well as the finals of the under-12, under-14 and under-16 Champions Leagues. Use of The 1st Central County Ground as the day's venue was made possible thanks to the generosity of Dafabet, Sussex Sharks' shirt sponsor, who gifted hire of the home of Sussex Cricket  to the Sussex Cricket Foundation to use for the event. 

The day began with the 12 under-9/under-10 teams that had qualified from the four Sussex regions taking part in the Softball Cup on the outfield. A group stage was followed by semi-finals and a final with Chichester Priory Park emerging victorious over runners-up Cuckfield.

The day began with the under-9/under-10 Softball Cup

That was followed by the three Champions League finals. These were contested by teams that had won their age group’s regional league and a subsequent semi-final that earned them the right to play at Hove.

Brighton & Hove (57-1) were crowned under-12 champions after defeating Worthing (56 all out).

The under-14 title was taken by Chichester Priory Park (105-6) who beat Crowhurst Park (66 all out).

The final match of the day was played under floodlights with West Chiltington & Thakeham (100-0) emerging as under-16 champions after beating Henfield (96-6).

Chichester Priory Park celebrate victory in the under-14 final 

In total, 174 players and 18 teams from 16 clubs had the opportunity to play at The 1st Central County Ground on the day.

Matt Parsons, Sussex Cricket Foundation’s Central Area Territory Manager said: "Across Sussex, boys’ junior participation is continuing to thrive and whether it's competitive league cricket or structured friendly cricket, the four Area Junior League Committees work tirelessly to ensure every young player has the opportunity to enjoy the game, whatever their ability, background or location.

“The Boys’ Junior Finals Day showcases exactly that and continues to provide a showpiece climax to the boys’ junior summer every year and gives literally hundreds of children the opportunity to play on the hallowed turf of The 1st Central County Ground."