CRICKET: Shohel paves the way for Lindfield glory

Lindfield bowler Shohel Ahmed took three wickets in his first over

Lindfield gained a remarkable eight-wicket win under blackening skies at the Manor Sports Ground in Worthing, thanks to a dominant bowling performance from the visiting seamers.

With no-one expecting to complete the game, Lindfield asked the home side to bat, and set about dismantling Worthing’s batting order.

In the first over of the innings, Shohel Ahmed took three wickets with the score still on one.

Dismissing Barry Cool and Martyn Swift for ducks, he was on a hat-trick when Nick Ballamy came to the wicket.

Duly he bowled the required away-swinger, which found the outside edge, but unfortunately the wicket-keeper Will Longley, failed to grasp the catch.

It mattered not as wickets tumbled in double quick time.

Tem Hodson joined the party with 3-19 and reduced Worthing to 20-7, whilst the in form youngster Dom Morgan continued with 3-10 to finish off the innings.

However, the plaudits went to Ahmed who set up the demolition and finished with a brilliant spell of 4-6 off his seven overs, in an innings in which no batsman scored double figures.

As the clouds gathered, Lindfield were under pressure to reach the small target as quickly as possible.

Adam Wright was promoted up the order to provide the impetus in the pinch hitting role, which he carried out manfully.

His 15 off just 10 balls effectively set up the chase, dispatching deliveries through wide mid-on and over the slip cordon - classic Wright. Geoffrey Lawrence (10*), and Simon Shivnarain (7*) finished off the innings in just 6.1 overs and won an astonishing encounter just before the skies opened.

The win takes Lindfield to fourth in the table.

Longley commented after the game: “I’ve never played in a match that has taken just 25 overs to complete.

“That said, I’ve never dropped a catch off a hat-trick ball either, so it’s been a day of firsts. I’d like to say I did well to reach it, but that would be lying. I should have taken it comfortably, so I had to apologise profusely to Shohel afterwards. I really do blame myself.”