Chichester Priory Park CC 1st XI v Middleton CC, Sussex 2nd XI
Chichester Priory Park CC produced a strong all-round performance to secure victory after posting 235 and defending it in the last over.
After losing Toft and Wergan early, Chichester rebuilt superbly through Simon Hasted and Elijah Stead. The pair added vital runs after the early setbacks, with Hasted compiling a classy 55 from 71 balls, including 10 fours and a six, while Stead played the standout innings of the day with a fluent 84 from just 80 deliveries, striking 14 boundaries and a maximum. Their partnership laid the platform for a competitive total.
Despite a mini-collapse through the middle and lower order, Owen Harris chipped in with a valuable 28, while Sean Dobbs added 15 to keep the scoreboard moving. Chichester were eventually dismissed for a sub par score of 235 in 43.2 overs. Middleton’s bowlers shared the wickets, but the visitors were helped by 24 extras, including 23 wides.
In reply, Middleton’s innings struggled to gain early momentum. Tim Wergan was the pick of the Chichester attack, producing a superb spell to remove four of the top order, including Luke Smith, Artie Paice, Ben Mackley and Patrick Colvin, leaving Middleton under pressure.
James Chester then mounted an outstanding counter-attack, smashing 123 from only 87 balls, an innings featuring 15 fours and four sixes. He almost single-handedly kept Middleton in the contest, bringing up a century from just 71 deliveries and dominating the scoring.
However, Chichester showed fight and continued to chip away at the wickets around him. Elliott Scott dismissed James Connolly, Elijah Stead removed Archie Brown, while Andrew Crookham produced the key breakthrough, with Mike Smith taking a sharp stumping to finally dismiss the dangerous Chester for 123.
With Chester gone, the remaining batsmen were unable to provide enough support as Middleton fell 1 run short of the total. Wergan finished with four wickets, backed up by Crookham, Scott and Stead.
It was a complete team performance from Chichester Priory Park, built around the excellent partnership between Hasted and Stead. Chichester walked away with the 30 points and look forward to returning back to goodwood to try and claim another win.
Pictures here - https://chichesterpriorypark.play-cricket.com/photo_gallery?q%5Bkeywords%5D=&pg_category_id=24589
Three’s win first game at Clay lane
The first game for the 3’s at the new facility at Clay Lane as they hosted Billingshurst 2’s.
Hurst win the toss and invited Chi to bat first, Goode & Shakoori opened again and ticked along to 45 before Goode fell LBW, whilst the scoreboard rotated nicely and a few batters got starts wickets fell at regular intervals.
It was left to Elliot Goode however who batted with maturity and skill at number 4 to manage the innings and take the senior role, initially working well with Chaminder G who scored 22 and then with the tail to keep the pressure on the bowling team on a warm day. Chi finished on 255-9 with Elliot bowled for 99 trying to secure a hundred from the last all of the innings.
In reply the ever accurate Saqib Khushnood started well with a wicket in the first over, ripping out both the middle & leg stumps, Billingshurst struggled against an accurate attack and with Saqib & Rohit in no mood to relent the writing was soon on the wall at 49-7, the fielding and catching was good to backup to bowlers and despite some lusty blows towards the end Billingshurst were bowled out for 103, Saqib Kushnood the destroyer finishing with 5-21 from his 8 overs. James Mayne & Rohit picking up 2 wickets each.