CRICKET: Benn blasts a ton in winning chase

BENN Challen moved past 500 Sussex League Division 3 West runs for the season on Saturday as his unbeaten 119 took Littlehampton Cricket Club to a five-wicket win over Slinfold.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Jul 2010, 13:11 BST
Updated 14th Jul 2010, 13:12 BST

He helped Littlehampton chase down 276 for victory, with more than three overs to spare, as he smashed 17 fours and two sixes to move on to 572 runs for the season.

He shared a 112-run partnership with brother, Littlehampton captain, Gareth, who struck 58, with seven fours and three sixes, although Gareth had been dropped in single figures.

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Slinfold's total of 275-7 had been too many for Gareth's liking, though, and he said: "We dropped four catches and it was one of our poorest performances in the field all year.

"It would have been nice to keep them down to 200 or 200, even going up to 240 we'd have been happy with.

"But we still felt we could chase 270, so long as we batted well, which is something we haven't always done well this year.

"But Benn batted really well and didn't offer any chances. And it was good that Chris Heberlein and I got runs in the middle order. It's something we've been speaking about and it took the pressure off Benn and allowed him to play his game."

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Guy Thorne top-scored with 89 for Slinfold and Jonathan Augustus hit 64 as they put on 139 for their second wicket. Paceman Luke Vinter finished with 4-83 from 21 overs and now has 44 league wickets this year.

Littlehampton lost James Askew and Rick Heberlein early in their reply, before Benn Challen shared a 74-run stand with Chris Heberlein and then the stand with Gareth Challen.

After Gareth was out, Dan Rive, then Stuart Hanks, saw Littlehampton home with Benn Challen.

Despite the win, Littlehampton remain sixth in the table and now trail leaders Goring by 47 points, although do have a game in hand.

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Gareth Challen said: "The table is still very close but Goring and Steyning are edging a bit away.

"We've got to win at Arundel on Saturday to get back-to-back wins and then we play Goring, and we owe them some payback after our poor performance at their place.

"We've also got Steyning and Pagham still to play at home, and Middleton away, so there's no reason why we can't get up there if we play to our potential."

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