'˜Everyone did their jobs' as Roffey get up and running

Cricket: Gray-Nicolls T20 Cup: Ansty (batting) v Roffey. Chris Barnes loses his wicket. Pic Steve Robards SR1709187 SUS-170430-150526001

The Boars eased to a nine-wicket win in the first round of the competition against newly-promoted division rivals Ansty.

Having won the toss and opted to insert their hosts, Roffey restricted them to just 86-8 in 20 overs.

Rohit Jagota (2-13) took a wicket in the very first over, dismissing opener Leo Anderson for a duck. Jonathan Parker soon followed without scoring as a scalp for Sussex bowler Stuart Whittingham (2-15).

Cricket: Gray-Nicolls T20 Cup: Ansty (batting) v Roffey. George Flemming. Pic Steve Robards SR1709181 SUS-170430-150501001

Ben Towler (ten) and Jonathan Young (ten) added some runs as Ansty climbed from 16-3 to 25-4 with both dismissed.

Only Jake Wilson (20 and Jack Palser (23) then made double figures as the home side failed to break into treble figures. Leigh Harrison finished with figures of 1-26 and George Fleming 2-14.

In reply, it was extremely routine for the reigning league champions as they knocked the score off for the loss of just one wicket.

Usman Khan top-scored with 31 before his was bowled by Anderson, but Davies (27) and Jagota (25) made unbeaten knocks to see Roffey home.

Cricket: Gray-Nicolls T20 Cup: Ansty (batting) v Roffey. Matt Davies (wicket), Harry Towler (bat). Pic Steve Robards SR1709160 SUS-170430-150309001

Davies said: “It was pretty routine for us, but I thought we played really well actually.

“It was a nice start for us, but maybe a game I think a game that we expected to win so there was no real surprises.

“It was a pretty convincing win which is a nice way to start the season, but a game we should be winning.

“Rohit took a wicket in the first over and Stuart Whittingham was at the other end and he bowled well.

Cricket: Gray-Nicolls T20 Cup: Ansty (batting) v Roffey. Chris Barnes loses his wicket. Pic Steve Robards SR1709186 SUS-170430-150515001

“When they lost the early wickets they were always up against it after that.

“Everyone bowled well and the only one not to get a wicket was Alex Collins, but he is our most economical bowler. Everyone of the guys did their job and that reflected in the scorecard really.

“Batting wise, Usman did he job and saw off the new ball and got us into a position where we could not lose. It was good to get a few runs on the board for the top order nice and early.”

Roffey return to Crawley Road on Saturday as they get their Premier Division title defence underway against Brighton & Hove.

Davies added: I am not really sure what they will offer this season, but are normally a decent side so I am sure it will be a good test.

“It will be nice to be back playing at Roffey as we have not been there in pre-season. Hopefully we can put in a good performance.

“We should be full-strength. We will hear if we have Stuart from Sussex later in the week, but apart from that we are full strength.”