Priory travel east but hopes go west... Stirlands have Steyn on their record

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Eastbourne 2nd v Chichester Priory Park

Sussex League division three

After a successful start to the 2017 season, Chichester suffered their first defeat when they made the journey to face Eastbourne’s seconds.

Drizzly rain cleared in time for the start and after winning the toss, Chichester captain Matt Geffen elected to bat first.

Chichester made a fast start, racing along to 50-1 in ten overs. But the hosts had a knack of claiming wickets just as Chichester were building a partnership.

None of the top five passed 25 but despite this Chichester were still in a strong position at the midway point at 128-3.

Joe Pocklington was introduced into the attack and the young left-arm spinner took three quick wickets as Chichester’s batting line-up began to crumble.

At the other end fellow spinner Walter Huchu (4-22) was finding success as the visitors crumbled to 134-8. The batsmen played a number of questionable shots.

Only Johnny Heaven survived the carnage and he pushed the score towards something defendable. Still, 159 all out on a decent batting pitch wasn’t the total Chichester had in mind.

Wickets were needed quickly and Dan Joseph and Geffen obliged, taking five between them at regular intervals to leave Eastbourne 51-5.

But after tormenting them Priory the ball, Pocklington did the same with the bat. In partnership with Jack Fletcher-Price, Pocklington began to take the game away from Chichester and passed 50.

Fletcher-Price was run out expertly run out by Mike Smith’s bullet throw. Pocklington was out for 71 but his work was done as Eastbourne won by three wickets.

Chichester now have two home games, the first of which is on Saturday against Bexhill seconds.

Steyning v Stirlands

Sussex League division four

Stirlands were unable to bounce back from two defeats when they made a trip to Steyning which saw them delayed in heavy traffic.

Captain George Coles called correctly and put his faith in his batting line-up.

Under-18 Jake Moores and Torquil Deacon built strong innings before seeing all their hard work undone with rare lapses in concentration.

Leo Wilkinson-Beal, in a new role batting at six, took advantage of the positive batting his team-mates had shown, pushing the score towards respectability while being ably assisted by David Briance.

After the allocated 45 overs, Stirlands ended their innings on 194-8 – a vast improvement over the previous two weeks’ efforts with the bat.

Steyning’s innings started badly for the hosts as Jon Phillmore, playing his first league game for two seasons, was able to induce a leading edge from opener Ryan Matthews to swing momentum his side’s way, before uprooting Oliver Collins’ off-stump to leave the hosts precariously balanced at 27-2.

Tight fielding and accurate bowling from the Stirlands attack was restricting Steyning to one or two an over before wicketkeeper Johnny Burfiend, having only just survived his first delivery, took things into his own hands, quickly putting away any loose deliveries.

Stirlands were unable to stem the flow from Burfiend’s bat, and Steyning successfully chased down their target with five wickets in hand.

Next up for Stirlands is a home fixture against Three Bridges second XI, and they have been boosted by news that their replacement overseas player, from Barbados, is due to land this week to enhance the bowling attack.

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