The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League: End of Season Review

The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League (SCL) has once again delivered a season brimming with excitement, as 145 clubs from across Sussex battled it out under glorious summer skies, for the most part!

From dramatic last-ball thrillers to commanding displays, the 2025 season has showcased the very best of Recreational Cricket in Sussex. As we wrap up another chapter, this end-of-season review highlights some of the champions and defining performances that have left an indelible mark on Saturday and Sunday afternoons across the county.

The competition throughout the 39 divisions & T20 Cups has been intense, with most divisions finely poised going into the later stages of the season. Making for some exciting promotion and relegation scenarios.

Participation numbers remain impressive, with 145 clubs and 363 teams taking part at the various tiers of the pyramid, remaining constant from 2024.

The total number of matches played has seen a significant increase – as 2850 matches were played in 2025 versus 2670 played in 2024.

Cancellations & abandoned matches also dropped from 13% in 2024 to 8% in 2025, largely down to some better weather. Equally the picture is positive when looking at conceded matches, which has fallen from 4% to 2% this year. All pointing towards an increasing amount of Cricket being played across the county.

Alongside the regular league season, the T20 Cup competitions concluded on Sunday 31 August at The 1st Central County Ground. Proving yet again, to be a fantastic annual showpiece for the league and Recreational Cricket as a whole.

In The Daniel Oliver T20 Cup, Three Bridges 1st XI went back-to-back claiming the Cup for a second year in a row, defeating Cuckfield 1st XI in the final by 55 runs.

The Paul Baker T20 Trophy - Winners: Three Bridges 2nd XI and Runners-Up: Chichester Priory Park 2nd XI.

T20 Plate - Winners: Sidley 1st XI and Runners-Up: Ifield 3rd XI.

SCL Division Standings

Horsham 1st XI [480pts] claimed the ECB Premier Division in emphatic style, wrapping up the title with four weeks to spare. Impressively they remained unbeaten throughout the entire season. With Preston Nomads 1st XI [388pts] finishing second and Three Bridges 1st XI [363pts] to round off the top three.

In stark contrast, the relegation battle provided some high drama on the final weekend, with East Grinstead 1st XI [270pts] and Ifield 1st XI [275pts] eventually being relegated. Bognor Regis 1st XI [282pts] on the other hand, pulled off a ‘great escape’ winning four of their last five matches including a last day win vs East Grinstead, to rescue themselves from a desperate situation.

In Division 2, the title was won by Hastings & St Leonards Priory 1st XI [446pts] - after relegation from the top-flight in 2023, they managed to return at the first time of asking. West Chiltington & Thakeham 1st XI [394pts] finished second, securing promotion to the Premier Division for the first-time in the club’s history. Following near misses in the previous two seasons, it was a story of third-time lucky!

In Division 3 West, Pagham 1st XI [410pts] proved comfortable winners and in Division 3 East, Bolney 1st XI [467pts] maintained their impressive record, losing only one match all season to also take the title with ease.

The post-season Division 3 play-off matches added further spice, as the second-place sides from the East and West Divisions battled it out for a chance to challenge the 8th place side in Division 2.

In the Eliminator play-off, Little Common Ramblers 1st XI [East - 437pts] played Chichester Priory Park 1st XI [West - 378pts] in a rain-affected match, that unfortunately ended as a no-result on the day. However, by virtue of their better regular season record Little Common Ramblers won through to the Challenger play-off against Division 2’s Buxted Park 1st XI, the following weekend.

In a tightly contested encounter kindly hosted at Glynde & Beddingham CC, Little Common Ramblers eventually triumphed by 3 wickets, to claim promotion to Division 2 for the first-time in the club’s history. Unfortunately, this meant that Buxted Park joined Roffey 2nd XI and Mayfield 1st XI in relegation to Division 3.

Selection of other Division winners:

Division 4 West – Slinfold 1st XI

Division 4 East - St Peters 1st XI

Division 5 West - West Chiltington & Thakeham 2nd XI

Division 5 Central - Brighton & Hove 2nd XI

Division 5 East - Herstmonceux 1st XI

Division 6 West - Bosham 1st XI

Division 6 Central - Ifield 2nd XI

Division 6 East - Tunbridge Wells 3rd XI

For the full standings & winners in each division, visit The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League official website.

SCL Individual Performances

Throughout the season, we have reported on some truly impressive feats, so making this list is an outstanding achievement.

Here are the 10 standout performances with bat & ball after the conclusion of the season: 

Best Batting Performances

Sreevalsan Gangadharan, 251* - Kerala Strikers Sports Club 1st XI in Division 8 East

Renai Gransult, 228 – Worthing 2nd XI in Division 5 West

Mohammed Siyamdeen, 221* - Serendib 2nd XI in Division 12 West (North)

Nimanda Subasinghe, 213* - St Peters 1st XI in Division 4 East

Tom Marchant, 210 – Eastbourne 2nd XI in Division 5 East

Sandeep Satheesh, 208 – Bexhill Strikers 1st XI in Division 10 East

Nimanda Subasinghe, 205 – St Peters 1st XI in Division 4 East

Rory Delves, 204* - Brighton & Hove 4th XI in Division 7 West

James Smillie, 199 – Pulborough 1st XI in Division 11 West (North)

Louis Storey, 198 – West Chiltington & Thakeham 1st XI in Division 2

Best Bowling Performances

Tom Ellis, 8/12 – Scaynes Hill 1st XI in Division 5 Central

Tyler Nevill, 8/21 – Ifield 2nd XI in Division 6 Central

Kimani Mbugua, 8/30 – Copthorne 1st XI in Division 8 Central

Olly Manns, 8/39 – Ansty 2nd XI in Division 7 Central

Jake Vosloo, 8/71 – Mayfield 1st XI in Division 2

Carl Cooper, 7/3 – Bognor Regis 4th XI in Division 12 West (South West)

Harsh Hemrajani, 7/5 – Copthorne 1st XI in Division 8 Central

Matthew Varndell, 7/5 – Seaford 3rd XI in Division 11 East (South)

James Abbott, 7/9 – Hailsham 4th XI in Division 11 East (North)

Elliot Henning, 7/13 – Lewes Priory 2nd XI in Division 9 Central

As well as standout performances, consistency over a season is key, therefore here’s a look at the overall leading run-scorers and wicket-takers from across all Divisions & T20 Cups matches combined.

Leading Run-scorers

Luke Beaufort, 1196 @ 74.8 – Three Bridges 1st XI

Renai Gransult, 1113 @ 55.7 – Worthing 2nd XI

Jonathan Haffenden, 1102 @ 84.8 – Sidley 1st XI

Malcolm Johnson, 1024 @ 53.9 – Little Common Ramblers 1st XI

Nimanda Subasinghe, 1016 @ 92.4 – St Peters 1st XI

Saurabh Wakaskar, 998 @ 52.5 – Bolney 1st XI

Mohammed Siyamdeen, 996 @ 90.6 – Serendib 2nd XI

Mohamed Razick, 977 @ 97.7 – Smallfield Manor 2nd XI

Jake Hainsworth, 955 @ 59.7 – Hailsham 1st XI

Aaron Tugnutt, 939 @ 58.7 – Chippingdale 1st XI

Leading Wicket-takers

Sabbir Ahmed, 49 wickets @ 9.1 – Sidley 1st XI

Tyler Nevill, 48 wickets @ 6.6 – Ifield 2nd XI

Chanuka Rahinduge, 46 wickets @ 8.9 – Slinfold 1st XI

Alfie Hunter, 47 wickets @ 20.5 – Buxted Park 1st XI

Naimat Zafary, 46 wickets @ 10.2 – Lewes St Michaels 1st XI

James Mayne, 45 wickets @ 16.2 – Chichester Priory Park 2nd XI

Muhammed Arif, 44 wickets @ 11 – Crawley Eagles 2nd XI

Tapiwa Mufudza, 44 wickets @ 15.7 – St James’s Montefiore 1st XI

Kaleb Auld, 43 wickets @ 13.9 – Little Common Ramblers 1st XI

Nick Smith, 42 wickets @ 13.5 – Pagham 1st XI

Comprehensive results, division standings and statistics can be found on The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League official website and the Sussex Cricket Foundation social media channels.

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On behalf of both the Sussex Cricket League & the Sussex Cricket Foundation, we would like to extend our thanks to all clubs and their volunteers, who have worked tirelessly over the summer to make Cricket happen. Thanks also to our headline sponsors, Dean Wilson Solicitors and ball sponsors, Gray Nicolls – whose continued support is vital to the success of the league.

Stay tuned for a review of the Aldridge@BACA Sussex Women's Cricket League coming up next week.

Photo courtesy of Martin Denyer