Lindfield Cricket Club round-up: Swans suffer defeat against league leaders

Lindfield’s search for a much needed win continued as they suffered a 5 wicket defeat against league leaders Bognor.
Nathan Pugh. Picture by Malcolm PageNathan Pugh. Picture by Malcolm Page
Nathan Pugh. Picture by Malcolm Page

The defeat leaves Lindfield needing to win their last 3 games of the season against fellow relegation threatened sides Billingshurst, Preston Nomads 2 and Roffey 2 to be certain of staying up.

Having won the toss and deciding to field first, the Bognor bowlers soon inflicted misery as Josh Sargeant (2-31) and Sam Adams (2-22) dismissed the Lindfield openers Shepperson (4) and Stillwell (4) with only 15 runs scored in 5 overs. Apoorv Wankhade (16) and Harry Moorat (12), the latter brilliantly caught and bowled didn’t help the situation. Lindfield skipper Simon Shivnarain (54) showed his class to rescue the innings, together with Sajeer Nizam (15) Harry Choudhary (18*) pushed the score to respectability as the innings concluded on 160-7 in the allotted 45 Overs.

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Simon Shivnarain. Picture by Malcolm PageSimon Shivnarain. Picture by Malcolm Page
Simon Shivnarain. Picture by Malcolm Page

In reply Bognor faltered in the fourth Over, seeing Mike Harris (3) and Gary Maskell (2) both dismissed by Scott Pedley (2-37) and an upset looked possible when Dominic Morgan (1-33) was replaced by Phil Weir (1-27) who claimed the other openers wicket of Nick Bellamy (23) in the 9th Over to put score on 44-3. Joe Ashmore and Skipper Ryan Maskell (27) slowly applied themselves, to which Lindfield changed the bowling introducing Morgan again who picked up the wicket of Maskell and the introduction of Harry Choudhary (1-17) bowling Taylor Jaycocks (3).

Apoorv Wankhade now joined Choudhary in the bowling attack and a game of cat and mouse began. With Ashmore on 48, batting with Josh Seward and Bognor 40 runs short of victory, Ashmore strode down the wicket to a ball from Wankhade that beat the bat and a stumping was but a second away, but a fumble plus a failed hand flick to break the wicket allowed Ashmore (62*) to regain his ground and together with Seward (33*) enabled Bognor to reach 161-5 and victory in 39 Overs.

Skipper Simon Shivnarain commented after the game, ‘the guys are obviously disappointed but still confident. We need a bit of luck to go our way but know that this Saturday’s game against Billingshurst is a ‘must win’. We have to focus on one game at a time and believe in our ability’

Lindfield 2nd XI

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In Division 6 Central, Lindfield hosted promotion chasing Edenbridge and produced their best performance of the season winning by 134 runs to give themselves an outside chance of promotion.

Upon winning the toss Lindfield had no hesitation to bat first on a wicket looking full of runs. Openers Charlie Weir and Nathan Pugh set about the Edenbridge opening bowlers with 53 runs being scored in the first 6 Overs. Despite bowling changes by the visitors to abate the flow of runs the partnership continued to flourish as the century stand was reached in the 15th Over. Weir reached a well-deserved half century in the 14th over and was eventually out stumped for 81 in the 24th over with the total on 146.

Jayson Butler now joined Pugh and in the next 14 overs put on 104 runs before Butler was out for an excellent (44). Pugh’s wonderfully constructed innings of (106*) ensured on a competitive total as the innings closed on 267-2 in 40 overs.

After the break the Edenbridge faced an asking rate of 6.7 runs per over and were soon in trouble when Woodman was run out in the second over. The visitors never recovered from the early loss as wickets continued to fall with the score reaching 56 for 5 in the 14, h over.

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Luke Sowton (2-35), Steve Pearce (2-17) and Charlie Weir (2-16) continued to make inroads into the Edenbridge batting as they reached 88-9 after 24 overs. The last two batsmen Andy Hill (32) and Toby Fuller (11*) put on 45 runs for the last wicket before Jack Gorton (1-24) took the final wicket leaving the visitors 133 all out in 35.4 Overs.

Lindfield 3rd XI

Lindfield 3s suffered an agonising 8 run defeat against Keymer & Hassocks 2s. Keymer struggled early on a difficult wicket at Hickmans Lane after being inserted by Lindfield. The visitors captain Tom Andrews-Faulkner playing the match winning innings of 50 as they scored 165 for 9 in their 40 overs. Asha Hinley with 2 for 12 in 9 overs being the pick of the bowlers.

Lindfield started their reply well before Adrian Whear had to retire on 13. The father and son combination of the Colvin’s (James 24, Toby 25) continued the run chase with further good batting displays from Mathew Edwards 34 and Thomas Chittilappily 18. However, Andrews-Faulkner with 5 -23 completed a fine match to bowl Lindfield out in the last over for 157 all out.

Lindfield 4th XI

Lindfield 4s won their top of the table clash in Division 12 Central (N) against local rivals Scaynes Hill 3s by 41 runs. Scaynes Hill won the toss and inserted Lindfield and soon had the visitors in trouble with the loss of the Baker brothers. However, youngsters Edward Hartley (70) and Oscar Jesperson (32) rescued the innings with a wonderful partnership. A final flourish from James Burnage (24nt) ensured a score of 145 for 5 in the 40 overs. Simon Berrill took 2-27 for the home side.

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In reply, Scaynes Hill started well with Paul Morgan (24) and Ed Cox (13). But the introduction, of Peter Booth 5 for 10 and Henry Foulkes 3 for 27 changed the course of the game as wickets fell on regular intervals. Some late hitting from Joseph Hibbert (16) and Frankie Francis (16) rallied the home side before Chris Maynard took the final wicket.