Roffey's Sussex cricket title bid goes to nail-biting last day

Roffey hoped to be crowned champions last Saturday and are not often beaten at home, especially in 50 over format, but they lost a hard fought, low scoring game against fellow title contenders, currently second-placed East Grinstead. Yet, with one game of the season to play, Roffey remain top by 12 points, skipper Matt Davies telling the County Times: “We needed 250, so were 30 or so short, but we had the bowlers for the conditions and created chances and still could have won - only for dropped catches to cost us dear.”

Put in, Roffey got off to a sound start, but, with batsmen having played themselves in, wickets fell too regularly - Bradley Hatchett finishing with 3-38 and Steven Harman 2-13. From 118-5, Rohit Jagota, accompanied first by Sam Henderson, then Jas Bassan, followed by George Fleming, had to rebuild. Jagota made an unbeaten 55 from 65 balls and his partners twenties. An unbroken last wicket stand of 48 carried the score to 222-7, after two earlier reverse sweeps had proved fatal. It seemed likely that Roffey would either need to bowl out Grinstead, or make serious early inroads to have any realistic chance of winning.

When Grinstead replied, Will Adkin soon departed to Jamie Atkins, and skipper Tom Haynes also went cheaply, but 25 year old former Sussex 2nd XI wicketkeeper Leo Cammish performed the perfect opener’s role, batting through to 114 not out, with 16 fours, using a borrowed bat after breaking his own hitting a six. For the most part Roffey bowlers kept the visitors in check, Bassan taking 3 wickets, but, when, mid innings catches went to ground, Tom Hinley took advantage, whacking 3 sixes in a 14 ball cameo. Emphasising the debt owed to Cammish, Hinley’s 29 was Grinstead’s second highest score, but his rapid contribution significantly reduced the run rate making the modest target impossible to defend, Grinstead winning by 5 wickets with 7 and a half overs to spare.

Roffey won the league 5 times in 6 seasons from 2014, and are very keen to do so again, Matt Davies adding: “We’ve got a massive game at Hastings next Saturday. They are bottom and have been relegated, but they’ve come close against the top sides, so we’ll need to be more consistent there.”

Surprisingly, for a strong well-balanced side, East Grinstead have won the league just once – in 2017 – and will also be pressing to secure another title when they host relegated Brighton at home on Saturday.

Eastbourne v Horsham – Sussex premier

Much depleted Horsham’s slim chance of winning the title evaporated at The Saffrons last Saturday, where relegation-threatened Eastbourne secured their Premiership status with a 67 run win.

Batting first, Eastbourne were soon 25-3 after Ed Bird had dismissed both openers, and Tom Haines, returning after breaking his hand, had trapped his Sussex teammate, local lad Oli Carter, for a single. Horsham, though, then had to be patient while Scott Lenham and Joe Pocklington compiled sixties, putting on 114 for the fourth wicket. Captain for the day Will Beer then stepped in with three scalps, but a 29 run cameo from Jordan Turner enabled the hosts to reach 222-8 from their 50 over allocation.

Replying, Horsham suffered an early blow when Tom Johnson departed second ball of the innings, and when two further wickets went down, Horsham’s youthful line up was under pressure. Tom Haines, playing alongside his younger brothers Ollie and Alfred, scored the highest individual total of the match – 77 – but 3 wickets apiece from Jack Meacher and Ben Barter, plus two for Pocklington ensured Eastbourne kept whittling away, Horsham falling 67 runs short with six and a half overs unused.

Horsham Cricket Manager Ben Williams told the County Times: “We had to make late changes after our skipper Nick Oxley injured his hip and Joe Willis broke his toe, and, with Sam-Martin Jenkins and Sam Bell on holiday, our overseas Ben Lister received his visa for the New Zealand A tour and jetted off to India. However, this gave us a chance to blood some more young players and we are scratching our heads to remember when three brothers last played in a Premiership side. 15 year old Max Bartlett has been playing in the 3s all season but he didn’t look out of place at all and it was great to see him batting for several overs with Tom Haines. While Eastbourne played well and our opportunity to have a crack at the title has gone, we’re moving in the right direction and it is so encouraging to see some excellent colts coming through. Joe and Sam M-J are over-wintering at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Australia, which is bound to help them to further develop their game.”

On Saturday, the final day of the Premiership, third-placed Horsham welcome Three Bridges. And, on Sunday, the club host their annual fun-packed Caribbean Day with a visiting team from Barbados, accompanied by a Bajan steel band, rum cocktails, food aplenty and many smiling faces, commencing at 12 noon.