Chichester Priory Park CC ruin Steyning’s party with commanding 5 wicket win
Chichester Priory Park CC produced a commanding five-wicket victory over newly crowned league champions Steyning CC, putting a slight dampener on their title celebrations in the process.
Steyning won the toss and elected to bat, posting 201–9 from their 45 overs. Chichester’s bowlers produced an excellent all-round display, led by Owen Harris, who claimed 4–42, while Freddie Gillett was outstanding with 1–7 from his six overs.
In reply, Chichester chased down the target with five wickets in hand. Toby Toft provided a flying start with 37 from just 23 balls before Tim Wergan and Elijah Stead took control of the innings.
Wergan anchored the chase brilliantly with an unbeaten 81 from 99 balls, while Stead continued his superb season with a quickfire 61 from 55 balls. The pair put Chichester firmly in the driving seat before Freddie Gillett finished things off with a six from just his second ball.
With the league campaign now complete, Chichester turn their attention to the play-offs, with Lindfield waiting next week in the first play-off.
By Mike Smith
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After winning the toss and electing to field, Chichester’s bowlers made an immediate impact. Finlay Rustell led the attack with an excellent 4/30, while Matthew Croker claimed 3/18 from his seven overs, including two maidens. Tom Symington also chipped in with 3/30 including 3 maidens as Aldwick were bowled out for 111 in 28.5 overs.
Aldwick’s Luke Barkes provided the main resistance with 41, but regular wickets prevented them from building a substantial total.
Chichester’s chase got off to a difficult start, slipping to 24/3, but Sean Dobbs held the innings together with a patient unbeaten 38 from 88 balls.
The game was then turned in Chichester’s favour by Alex Lowther, who smashed a rapid 38 from just 30 balls, including three fours and two sixes. His attacking innings took Chichester from a precarious position to within touching distance of victory.
With 20 extras also helping the chase, Chichester reached 112/5 in 25.4 overs, with Dobbs unbeaten alongside Arran Goode to seal a well-deserved five-wicket win.
By Matt Croker
Chi 3XI are Champions!
Having won the toss electing to bat first in Priory Park, Chi were soon up against it losing skipper Goode in the first over, Toby Lewis however was joined by the ever reliable Ben Hubbad and the pair began the rebuild, the scoreboard ticked along gently on the slowish pitch until a mix up between the pair saw Hubbard run out for 31, Ewan Edwards would depart soon after, bowled by a Kaushik off cutter. and with the innings in the balance it was up the the young pair of Ellio Goode and Toby Lewis, aged 15 and 17 respectively to step-up. This they did and with Lewis taking the anchor role the pair were solid initially before accelerating to add 102 for the 3rd wicket before Lewis was run out backing up for 73. Elliot Goode continued to score and with a flurry of boundaries took the total score to 211 from their 40 overs, he remained unbeaten on 68.
In reply the opening bowlers Saqib Kushnood & Oscar Dutton were straight on it and with a wicket each, RAM were soon 7-2 with work to do, however with tidy bowling wickets fell regularly, spinners Oscar Clifford Brown and James Mayne both piled on the pressure picking up 4 wickets between them, OCB-1, James Mayne 3. At this stage and with info from other matches in the league RAM revised their target to 160 to achieve maximum bonus points & secure promotion. The Chi group however worked hard and with disciplined bowing and fielding restricted RAM who finished on 158-9.
This win and 30 points see Chi 3's confirmed as league winners for 2027 and promoted for next year, RAM having failed to reach max batting points miss out to Petworth Park (on countback) who take second spot and will join Chi in Div 6 next year.
By Jes Goode
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