Alfriston on course

EAST Dean finally grabbed their second win of the season on Saturday when they overpowered Selmeston by 34 runs.

However, the result takes them no nearer to safety as third from bottom Firle pulled off a surprise win at home to Bells Yew Green, who failed to score the six runs needed from the final over.

East Dean's batting hero was Ian Sands who compiled an unbeaten 58, while Matt Bulkeley hit 47 and Paul Saunders took 3-34. Selmeston were skittled for 115 in reply with Mark Smith making 32 and Graham Primett taking 3-17.

The thriller at Firle saw the home side make 145-7 with Richard Gravett notching a half century and Richard Climpson 36, while Julian Daddy took 3-19. Dominic Bowen struck 63 in the Bells reply while Andy Brooks hit 43, but the visitors were restricted to 142-6.

Top of the table Alfriston notched their eighth win in ten games as in-form Lee Poulton cracked an unbeaten 80 and Dick Farrell 34 in a total of 186-6. Jeremy Bowers and Tim Hurst then took three wickets each as Withyham were dismissed for 126; Ali Currie top scoring with 36.

Bottom of the table Laughton could only muster 113 against second-placed Blackboys, who eased home by four wickets.

There's a three-way tie for the lead at the summit of division two with Denton, Ridgewood and Burwash Weald setting the pace.

In the clash of the day, Denton and Burwash Weald met in a crunch battle, and it was Denton who emerged victorious with a five-wicket win. Eleven successive maidens saw the Burwash innings stall at 106-7 as Drury took three wickets, while Denton also struggled to score but, after losing early wickets, won with four overs to spare as Tim Crosswaite struck an undefeated 31.

In a tight finish at Caburn, promotion-chasing Ridgewood sneaked home by one wicket with a boundary off the last ball of the game! Caburn did well to reach 206 with Dean Richmond hitting 68 and Dave Noakes 60 while Chris Taylor took 5-41. But Ridgewood, thanks to a Paul Gower ton (109) and 45 from Kevin Andrews, won by the slenderest of margins, despite the bowling of Tim Harrington (3-53) and Richmond (3-57).

Bottom of the table Firle were soundly thrashed by Bells Yew Green who raced to 224 all out in just 29 overs with Ian Holford and Neil Cleve both hitting 45. Firle were then dismissed for 61 as Ian Scott took 5-13 and Mick Mitchell 3-11.

Nutley, with Ian Ritchie and Mark Read both reaching the 30's, managed 168-8 against Preston Village, for whom Steve Bassam took 5-23 including a hat-trick. Village were then skittled for 122 as Alan Poulter took 4-29.