The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League: May Review

The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League: May Review

The newly named Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League (SCL) has kicked-off with a thrilling start to the season during the month of May.

Blessed with some very favourable weather in one of the driest springs on record, the early rounds have delivered an enormous amount of cricket up and down the 39 divisions.

More than 700 competitive matches have been played before the start of June, and 4000+ players are turning out every Saturday afternoon for their local cricket clubs. Demonstrating the fine health of the recreational game in Sussex.

A huge thank you to sponsors and Sussex Cricket community partners, Dean Wilson Solicitors LLP, for their invaluable support of recreational cricket. And this National #VolunteersWeek, our heartfelt thanks also go out to the many thousands of club volunteers and officials across the county who enable this great sport to happen and importantly, to grow.

Alongside the regular league season, the T20 Cup competitions have begun with the quarter-final lineup for The Daniel Oliver T20 Cup already confirmed and the second-round schedules decided for The Paul Baker T20 Trophy and T20 Plate respectively.

Division Standings

Horsham 1st XI [120pts] are setting the early pace in the ECB Premier Division, with a perfect record thus far, winning their opening four matches. Closely followed by Preston Nomads 1st XI [103pts], Haywards Heath 1st XI [102pts] and Three Bridges 1st XI [97pts], all with 3 victories from their opening four encounters.

In Division 2, Eastbourne 1st XI [120pts] currently sit on top of the pile. With fellow East Sussex outfit Hastings & St Leonards Priory 1st XI [103pts] in second and West Chiltington & Thakeham 1st XI [99pts] in third, their nearest challengers.

A four-way battle at the top of Division 3 West is underway, with Burgess Hill 1st XI, Pagham 1st XI and Billingshurst 1st XI all on 103 points and Findon on 100 points. Several other sides could easily come into the reckoning as the season develops.

Lastly, Bolney 1st XI and Little Common Ramblers 1st XI can’t be separated, both on 120 points apiece in Division 3 East as they start to establish a ‘gap’ from the rest, even at this early stage.

To stay up to date with the standings across the 39 divisions, you can visit The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League official website.

Individual Performances

As well as team performances, we have seen some incredible individual feats across the SCL. Did you know that 178 centuries have been scored and 145 five-wicket hauls have already been taken!

Here are the top five standouts leading the way:

Batting

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

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

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

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

Sonu Jacob, 197* – Bexhill Strikers 1st XI in Division 10 East

Bowling

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

Nick Ellis, 7/15 – St Andrews 3rd XI in Division 12 Central (North)

Simon Shivnarain, 7/24 – Lindfield 2nd XI in Division 7 Central

Louis Grahame, 7/31 – St Matthias 1st XI in Division 5 Central

Gareth Fuller, 7/42 – Dormansland 1st XI in Division 8 Central

Each week throughout the season on the Sussex Cricket Foundation social media channels, the best 20 performances with bat and ball are featured (from across competitive recreational cricket in Sussex), thanks to the ECB’s Play-Cricket Honours Boards. 

Give the Sussex Cricket Foundation a follow on - X, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok and connect with the cricket community!

As the season gathers pace into June, don’t forget that The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League official website is the main place for comprehensive fixtures, results, statistics, standings and resources for clubs competing in the league.