Slinfold skip praises players after winning start

The latest win (one game was abandoned) sees Thorne’s side sit second in the Division Four table, just 20 points behind early leaders Steyning.

Slinfold were bowled out for 150 on a damp wicket, but managed to bowl their hosts out for 106 for victory.

Captain Thorne said: “(I’m) absolutely delighted with our fourth consecutive win, and it was our most pleasing team performance so far given we had by far the worst of the conditions.”

Calling it a “big toss to lose” having been inserted on a “damp, patchy, two-paced wicket”, Thorne made 27 but reserved high praise elsewhere. “Shutts’ (Matt Shuttlewood) knock of 61 was one of his best I’ve seen from him at the club and it proved to be a match winning-innings.

“He showed great patience, played really straight and was aggressive when he needed to be.” Thorne also praised Richard Harris (16 not out) and number 11 Harrison Webb.

“Our bowling attack and fielding has been exceptional so far this season and again this performance was no different,” he added.

After Akeem Jordan and Phil Awcock had made early breakthroughs in the host’s reply, spinner Thorne picked up a wicket with his first ball to reduce Crawley to 30-3.

Webb then utilised the spin-friendly conditions to rip through the home line up with two bowled wickets and Thorne added two in two balls to in his figures of 4-27. A direct run out from Andy Parsons left Jordan to clean bowl the final wicket for victory.

Thorne added: “We are enjoying our cricket at the moment, we’ve got different people chipping in with performances which is important.

“We still have a lot of improvement to do in some areas and the lads know that – and we are looking forward to having a couple of home games now having played three of four matches away.”