Leaders too strong for Middleton... Bognor bowl along... Pagham in hunt

Read the latest news - including a big sponsorship deal - from the local clubs below.

Middleton v East Grinstead

Sussex Premier League

Middleton were no match for league leaders East Grinstead as they began the second half of the season with a home defeat.

Sean Heather, the Middleton captain, decided to bat first but for the third week in a row, Middleton found themselves three down before reaching 50. Only Gerhardt Abrahams (44) and Ben Ferbrache (24) posted much of a score among the top nine. It took a tenth-wicket partnership of 36 between Tommy Davies (19no) and Russell Talman (21) to get Middleton to an all-out total of 162 in 44 overs.

The pick of the Grinstead bowlers was Ian Sturmer with 5-41 from 12 overs.

The East Grinstead batters were made to work hard for the runs but the win came in the 37th over for the loss of just two wickets.

On Saturday Middleton travel to Bexhill.

Bognor v Three Bridges

Division two

Five for 34 by Joe Ashmore set up Bognor for a five-wicket win at home to Three Bridges.

His haul, plus three victims for Josh Sargent and two for Jerome Jones meant Bridges were bowled out for 171 after electing to bat.

Max Ashmore (49) and Elliot Clarke (52) were the mainstays of the replay as Bognor reached the target with time to spare.

* The Bognor branch of Covers Timber and Builders Merchants is sponsoring Bognor CC.

Andy Lee from the club said: “The support of local businesses like Covers is really crucial to making sure we can continue to be competitive and safeguard the club’s future. We would like to thank Covers for their generosity.”

Paul Allwright, Bognor depot manager at Covers, added: “As a firm we have a great love of sport and aim to support local teams in the area.

“We’re very proud to be sponsoring Bognor Cricket Club and hope that our funding will help the club continue to enjoy success.”

Bognor CC run three Saturday league sides, a Sunday team, a ladies’ team, a T20 team and a midweek XI as well as junior teams for under-tens to under-19s.

Bexhill 2nds v Pagham

Division three

Having been invited to bat first, Pagham made a good start reaching 80 for one but the loss of Aiden Zammit for a run-a-ball 50 slowed their progress.

However, a season’s-best 66 from Ryan Barratt and 38 from Garth Davies saw Pagham to 178-5. Wickets then fell regularly and Pagham staggered to 222 all out. Neil Blethcly (3-50) was the most successful Bexhill bowler.

Bexhill made a poor start to their run chase and were soon reduced to 98-5 but any thoughts of a Pagham victory were dispelled by a fine knock of 84 from Tim Cridland.

Although Bexhill lost their ninth wicket in the last over they managed a well-deserved draw with Pagham finishing with 14 points which just keeps them in the promotion chase.

Wayne Green with 3-48 from 19 overs was the pick of the Pagham attack. Pagham entertain Brighton & Hove twos this Saturday.

Slinfold 2nds v Bognor 2nds

Division six west

Bognor’s second team continued their recent good form against Slinfold. Fielding first, the hosts were 56-6 before David Kinner (41) and Chris Stanbridge (54) took Slinfold to 151-6.

However, Sam Adams, bowling with nip and venom, came back to end with 6-40 and old Aussie warhorse Andy McGregor took 3-27 as Slinfold were bowled out for 164.

Bognor began steadily enough with Harry Hood making a pleasing 40 and Joel Baker bagging a fine 50. Slinfold’s Mubbasar Hussain kept the game poised by taking 4-63 but the steady blades of Sam Adams and Jamie Woolnough saw Bognor to a four-wicket win.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking sports news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

Share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!