Cricket: Premier league new boys still hunting for first win

Sussex Premier League

Middleton are still looking for their first league win of the season after losing to Bexhill at their Sea Lane grouay.

When the teams last met in 2013, the game went to the last ball.

On winning the toss, home captain Sean Heather had no hesitation in electing to bat first.

Bexhill’s Australian overseas player Dean Crawford and Shawn Johnson produced a good new-ball spell of bowling with Crawford accounting for both Heather and Ben Hansford.

Will Burrows and Beck Hemingway started to stage a recovery with Hemingway driving handsomely and hitting eight fours on his way to 34. When he departed Burrows once again found himself playing the anchor role until he became the fifth wicket to fall, out for 45 with the score on 132.

Two further quick wickets found Middleton struggling on 144 for seven and it was left to Anthony Ender to get them to a total anywhere near enough to challenge Bexhill. He was last man out for 45, an innings including four fours and three sixes, with the score on 207.

For Bexhill Crawford finished with four for 64 and Beeslee four for 58.

In reply, Bexhill were making steady progress towards their target until Jamie Thompson struck in the first over of his second spell, the 31st of the innings, taking a hat-trick.

Bexhill were 112 for four but Callum Guest staged a recovery until Thompson struck again in the 45th over, taking two wickets in successive balls – with the hat-trick ball this time passing the off-stump of Crawford by the narrowest of margins.

Crawford hit a rapid 18 to win the game in the 47th over with Bexhill six wickets down. Thompson was the pick of the Middleton bowlers ending with five for 20 off 9.3 overs.

n Away at Steyning, Middleton’s second XI continued their unbeaten run with a one-wicket victory.

Being set 228 to win, Middleton reached the total in the 46th over, with Charlie Terry making 58 not out and Mark Robson 55. Terry, making his first appearance of the season, had taken four for 28 earlier.

Pagham v Hastings

Sussex League division two

As a result of heavy traffic, Hastings arrived late for their match against Pagham and the start was delayed by 15 minutes.

Stuart Rutter won the toss for Pagham and elected to field. Hastings got off to a good start and reached 40 before Elliott Hooper was well caught by Eranga for 27 off the bowling of Joe Metz.

Every time it looked like Hastings would build a big partnership, Pagham grabbed a wicket to slow things down.

Sean Rutter trapped dangerman Joe Lamb lbw for 58, then Nabid Rehman (4-47) and Eranga (3-29) kept taking wickets and kept the score in check.

Hastings scored a single off the last ball of the 53rd over to reach 200 for nine – the first time Pagham had conceded 200 for around 18 months.

The visitors opened with the impressive pace bowling of John Morgan and Adam Barton and Pagham’s somewhat-fragile top four were soon watching the match from the comfort of the pavilion.

At 32 for four it looked like game over but Sri Lankan Eranga showed his undoubted class with a superb 92 not out, well supported by skipper Staurt Rutter, who got 39 before being bowled by John Morgan with the score 129.

Joe Turner (23) figured in a partnership of 56 with Eranga. Three wickets fell quickly and Pagham were 189 for seven.

The match was excitingly poised with four needed off the last over – and four quick singles were taken with great encouragement from the home supporters and Pagham won a magnificent match by three wickets.

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