Chichester go through to The Paul Baker T20 Trophy after beating Brighton and Hove on Sunday (10 Aug) at Preston Nomads
CHICHESTER PRIORY PARK CC WON BY 6 WICKETS
Brighton & Hove CC - Twenty20 2nd XI 121 / 7 (20) Vs Chichester Priory Park CC - Twenty20 2nd XI 125 / 4 (19)
Chichester priory park 2s defeat Brighton cricket club 2s in low scoring semi final match
Chichester set the tone of things to come in this titanic battle for a place in the final. Maiwand (4 overs, 3-27) opening the bowling from the pavilion end had the opener caught at mid-on by a diving Baily who took a low catch in front of him after just 3 balls of the match. The wickets didn’t stop there. Captain Matt Croker in the following over to the other opener saw a loose drive carry to short third man to make the score 2-2. This had rattled Brighton. Brighton’s Middleton Paine (70) steadied the ship for Brighton, batting conservatively but wickets fell around him. Finlay Rustell (4 overs, 1-14) who bowled very economically shaved the off stump to remove a third batsman followed by Maiwand again, that took the top of off stump, swinging back in, which was the ball of the day, 24-4.
James Mayne, (4 overs 1-8), teased the batsmen who were trying to protect their falling wickets tally pinning the batsmen deep in his crease lbw making it 34-6.
Chances continued to come but weren’t taken and the key remaining batsmen for Brighton accelerated towards the end of the innings, with Brighton posting 121-7 in their 20 overs. They had a score on the board and whilst Chichester were on top, the momentum of the match had shifted after having Brighton 34-6.
Croker and Ed McCathy opened the batting for Chichester. McCathy (9) hitting consecutive boundaries off the tall bouncy bowler uppercutting down to third man, fell trying to hit over the top bringing Hubbard to the crease. The pair batted stylishly, hitting the bad balls and defending well against the new ball. They had taken advantage of the power play and Chichester were 42-1 after 6 overs.
Then came the bowling changes. Hubbard (22) took advantage hitting 4 pull shots to the rope off the same bowler. The pressure was on Brighton. Ben Hubbard fell making it 77-2 giving Brighton a glimmer of hope bringing Ollie Greenlees to the crease. Croker (42) had batted brilliantly and soon fell as well making it 86-3 and two new batters at the crease. Greenlees and Sharpe put on another 10 before Sharpe (10) was caught at cover. Greenlees (22*) and Baily (9*) saw the game home for Chichester with an over to spare and will now play at the Sussex Cricket Ground in Hove, August 31st against Three Bridges CC.
A 2:30 start in the Paul Baker Trophy. Support is welcome!