Rain rules Roffey again but it won’t dampen their title hopes, says skipper

The Boars were hit by the weather for the second consecutive week on Saturday as their clash with Preston Nomads was rained off after 42 overs.

Their clash against Eastbourne the previous week fell to the same fate and their place in the standings has been hit due to the fact that Brighton & Hove managed full games both weekends.

The new leaders overcame East Grinstead by 13 runs on Saturday to knock Roffey off their perch and open up a four-point lead at the summit.

Last season, The Boars recorded their fourth Premier Division title in five years. Having previously clinched the trophy three times in a row, they missed out to East Grinstead in 2017.

The weather was a big factor in not winning the title that season. So with back-to-back postponement are Roffey again worried that a moist English summer could scupper their chances again?

Davies said: “That (2017) was down to the weather, but we also did lose a game at Hastings so it wasn’t solely down to not being able to play. It is more frustrating when you can’t do anything about it.

“We’re still wary of Brighton as they’re a good side but it’s still in our hands with 12 games to go.

“We just need to take care of what we can take care of. If we perform well in those 12 games then I’ve got no doubt we will be champions at the end of it.

“If we’re not quite at the level we want to be it will bring Brighton & Hove and others a chance of winning the league.

“It’s still all to play for and we’re still confident that we can get over the line at the end of the season, regardless of how unlucky we’ve been with the weather.”

Roffey will be hoping for a brighter outcome when they welcome fifth-placed Middleton on Saturday.

That is the start of a busy weekend for the Boars as they the travel to Lyon Way on Sunday to play Slinfold in the Sussex T20 Cup (12.30pm) with the winner taking on Chichester immediately afterwards in the third round.