Cricket: Chichester and Stirlands fall short in run chases

Read the reports below and don’t miss the Chichester Observer every Thursday for all the local cricket action.

Chichester Priory Park v Mayfield

Sussex League division three

Three wins in a row had seen Chichester Priory Park propelled into the promotion places – but they couldn’t keep the moemtum going against Mayfield.

Under heavy skies Chichester won the toss and invited the visitors to bat.

The wickets were shared around and Rob Carver bowled well at the start, taking two early wickets.

In-form Matt Geffen wasn’t going to be kept away from the action for long. Another three wickets boosted his total for the season to an impressive 21 with just a third of the year gone.

Mayfield’s batting never really got going, but they offered stubborn resistance and made Chichester work for their wickets.

Carl Shankland top-scored for the visitors with 29 and Callum Saker (22) marshalled the lower order well. It was left to overseas player Sam Harvey to wrap up the innings with three wickets and he was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 30.

Mayfield were bowled out for 140 in the final over.

Low targets are never as easy to chase and Chichester have struggled with their top order all season. Another two early wickets gave Mayfield hope as the hosts struggled to 21 for two.

Ezaz Safi and Pater Lamb set about rebuilding and their excellent 63-run partnership for the third wicket seemed to have Priory on course. After the dismissal of Lamb, Safi continued and recorded his maiden half-century for the first team.

The dismissal of Safi for 68 proved the turning point. Three more wickets fell in quick succession as Chichester tumbled from 96 for 3 to 98 for 7.

Left-arm spinner James Allen was bowling Mayfield back into it and it was down to Chichester’s lower order to try to see them home.

Despite the best efforts of Harvey and Carver, Chichester were bowled out for 134 to give Mayfield a six-run victory. Allen finished with five for 27.

Chichester were left to rue 15 minutes of madness that ultimately cost them the game. They will need to pick themselves up as they visit the league’s co-leaders Haywards Heath on Saturday.

Seaford v Stirlands

Division four

Despite some unavailability, the selected XI were highly spirited and hunting a momentum-building victory.

Stirland were asked to bowl first, but it turned out to be a great toss to win.

Seaford made the most of the sunshine, a flat track, short boundaries and uncharacteristically-wayward bowling.

Overseas player Ajinkya Deshpande saw catches go down off his bowling and Seaford reached 120 before the first wicket fell.

Short boundaries rewarded shots and led to edges flying off the bat for four.

The Seaford captain batted aggressively and raced to 86. When his innings was brought to a close by Dan Beal the damage had been done with Seaford 246 for three.

The final score would have been greater were it not for well-executed death bowling from Deshpande who drew the total back to 296 for seven.

For Stirlands, George Briance and Torquil Deacon started well but Deacon fell for 24 and scoreboard pressure took its toll.

Steady wickets falling meant no real threat was mounted against the target, with the exception of 16-year-old Briance, who battled for a fluid 44.

Stirlands were bowled out for 127 but hope for a win this week with the return of talisman Gubbins and others.

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