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1st Central Sussex Cricket League round-up

31 Aug 2021

Photo: Preston Nomads CC

Sussex Newspapers' Mark Dunford rounds up Saturday's action from the 1st Central Sussex Cricket League...

Preston Nomads (321 all out) have won the Premier Division title after a comprehensive 175-run win over Brighton and Hove (146 all out). Nathan Poole (104) and skipper Dan Phillips (90 from 67 balls) were the stars with the bat before everyone pitched in with the ball to secure their first title since 2013.

At the other end Hastings Priory (242-7) beat Cuckfield (239-9) in the big relegation battle. Dilshan de Zoysa took 4-40 for Hastings while Ollie Graham top scored with 41 for Cuckfield. William Rogers and James Anyon took three wickets apiece for Cuckfield but 70 from skipper Tom Gillespie, 65 from William Hutchings and 37 not out from John Morgan saw Hastings home. Neither team are safe yet but Hastings are in the box seat with a 16-point lead going into the final game where they host Eastbourne while Cuckfield travel to champions Nomads.

Haywards Heath’s (233-6) relegation was confirmed after they lost by six wickets to Roffey (234-4). Theo Rivers was the main man for Roffey once again with his second consecutive unbeaten century finishing on 102 not out. He also took three wickets. Rohit Jagota hit 75 for Roffey while Max Barson hit 60 for Heath.

Middleton (193-4) won again, this time beating Eastbourne (188 all out) by six wickets and climbing up to fifth. Tommy Davies took two wickets with the first two balls of the day and George Briance took 4-39 as Middleton restricted Eastbourne. Only Scott Lenham got going for Eastbourne with 83. In reply, the inform Mahesh Rawat hit an unbeaten 104.

East Grinstead (209 all out) secured a second place finish with a 60 run win against Three Bridges (149 all out). Leo Cammish hit another century in the win while Ollie Blandford took 6-42 for Bridges. Lewis Hatchett and Tom Hinley took three wickets apiece for Grinstead.

In Division 2, Bognor (114-6) secured promotion with a four wicket win over Mayfield (110 all out). Josh Sargeant and Sam Adams took three wickets apiece for Bognor before Joe Ashmore (42) top scored in the run chase. Bognor now need just six points from their final game with St James’s to claim the title.

Horsham (187-4) beat already-relegated Roffey 2nd XI (183-9) and now need just two three points from their final game with Burgess Hill to join Bognor in promotion.

St James’s Montefiore (332-8) still stand a chance of promotion after they beat Burgess Hill (206 all out) by 126 runs. Toby Pullan (118) and Hector Loughton (111) put on 217 for the first wicket for St James’s. Joe Maskell took 5-55 for Hill. Oscar Jago-Lewis took 5-44 for St James’s, who need Horsham to get no more than 2 points next week and to get 30 points against Bognor.

Chichester Priory Park (209-9) had a thrilling one-wicket win against Billingshurst (208-8). Ben Gregory took 4-38 while Matthew Sharope hit a vital 25 not out for Chichester.

Lindfield (236-8) picked up a huge win in the relegation battle, beating Preston Nomads 2nd XI (187 all out) by 49 runs. James Scott top scored with 52 for Lindfield before Dom Morgan and Simon Shivnarain took three wickets each to lead them to a vital win.

It’s still two teams from either Preston Nomads, Billingshurst or Lindfield who will be relegated along with Roffey. Nomads have the biggest task as they are 12 points behind Billingshurst and 24 points behind Lindfield.

Other notable performances:

Division 3 West: Fazlan Nizamdeen 128 for Slinfold. Stuart Carter 5-37 for Goring. Giorgio Rigali 7-24 for Worthing. West Chiltington currently top, eight points ahead of Findon

Division 3 East:

Division 4 East: Martin Green 5-55 for Lewes Priory. Abdulwahb Shafi153 not out for Rottingdean, Alex Coyle 113 for Hastings Priory 2nd XI. Ollie Constable 5-33 for Crowhurst Park. Crowhurst Park and Bixted Park have both been promoted.

Division 5 West: Tom Ott 5-32 for Barns Green.

Division 5 Central: Adrian Ruzicka 6-30 for Balcombe.

Division 5 East: Thomas Laver 5-34 for Crowhurst Park 2nd XI. Greg Watson 5-12 for Herstmonceux.

Division 7 East: John Reynolds 115 for Seaford 2nd XI. Josh Moor 6-38 for Tunbridge Wells Borderers.

Division 8 West: Ian Ritchie 106 not out for Arundel 2nd XI.

Division 8 Central: Stewart Cook 5-22 for Copthorne.

Division 8 East: Matthew Hitchen 127 not out and Damien Mills 5-16 for Dicker. Matthew Isepp 113 for Eastbourne 3rd XI.

Division 9 East: Graham French 6-19 for Heathfield Park 2nd XI. Danny Killalea 109 for St Peters 3rd XI.

Division 10 West: Sagar Desai 6-20 for Petworth Park.

Division 10 East: James Corner 148 for Linden Park 4th XI.

Division 11 West (North): David Brown 6-13 for Rudgwick.

Division 11 Central (North): Daniel Burton 6-14 for East Grinstead 4th XI. Kuganesh Karuppiah 115 not out for Forest Row 2nd XI.