Last pair rescue Middleton... Bognor go so close

Middleton chalked up an excellent win away to high-flyers Ansty - but Bognor came up just short away to Crawley Eagles.
Andrew Greig was in fine form for Bognor / Picture by Kate ShemiltAndrew Greig was in fine form for Bognor / Picture by Kate Shemilt
Andrew Greig was in fine form for Bognor / Picture by Kate Shemilt

Read the latest reports from division two of the Sussex League here.

Ansty v Middleton

Sussex League division two

There was rain in the air and a shower before the start meant batting first – as Middleton were asked to do – was not going to be easy.

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Ansty’s Aussie left-arm opening bowler Jake Wilson began the day as leading wicket taker in the league with 18 wickets from three games.

With the score on 23, opener Will Burrows was first to fall, edging Jethro Menzies to slip for 15. The Middleton middle order struggled against a good spell of bowling and wickets feel regularly. Only opener Will Affleck managed to hold in there, batting 91 balls for a patient 33. When he fell the score was 71-7.

Two further wickets with the addition of only 16 runs saw Middleton on 87-9 before No11 Tommy Davies joined Craig Fowle who was on 16. The pair put on 75 to take the Middleton score to 162 off 51.5 overs.

Both were unlucky not to reach 50 with Fowle ending 41 not out off 70 balls and Davies last man out for 46 off 56 balls including six fours and a six. Wilson finished with 2-60 and Menzies 7-42.

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In reply Ansty did not find batting any easier but the sun came out. Matt Cooke had opener James Whybrow caught by Sean Heather with a diving catch at slip. Davies then removed opener Sam Palser lbw for 17 with the score on 43.

Ansty rallied and at 82 for 2 it looked theirs to lose. But Fowle and Matt Reynolds were introduced and Reynolds immediately removed the dangerous Luca Barker for 34.

Regular wickets fell and Ansty were all out for 117. The last eight wickets fell for just 35 runs.

Pick of the bowlers were Fowle (4-22 off 12 overs) and Cooke and Reynolds with two apiece. Middleton held on to seven catches with one taken by Monty Morgan at deep fine leg probably the best of the bunch.

Division two

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Bognor were narrowly beaten by Crawley Eagles in a hard-fought encounter.

Bowling first, seamer Andrew Greig continued his excellent form with early wickets, eventually returning figures of 5-52.

Graham Bush, Joe Ashmore and Rob Willway shared the rest of the spoils, with 43 from Tanveer Haider the only real resistance to the Bognor bowling unit as Crawley capitulated to 137 all out.

Bognor started comfortably and, although Imran Mehboob removed Max Ashmore, there was little to suggest what was to come.

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The introduction of Anjum Zafer destroyed the Bognor batting line-up and a flurry of wickets reduced them to 55-8.

Again Greig was the standout, and he and Sam Adams mounted a serious fightback, maintained by Bush after the departure of Adams for 19.

However, Zafer bowled Bush to end with 9-50, leaving the unfortunate Greig on 42 not out, Bognor falling seven runs shy.

Bognor 2nd v Crawley Eagles 2nd

2nd XI Division 3 West

The Eagles placed the hosts into bat on another fine Regis Oval wicket.

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The Eagles nipped out both openers but steady play by Sussex’s Tanya Wake (24) saw Bognor get themselves back in it.

Bognor skipper Josh Seward made a fine 55 and with support from the veteran Graham Ball with 65, a decent total was on the cards.

A steady 21 from Dan Miller saw Bognor end on 239 for nine.

In reply the Eagles started brightly with Nasir Khan making a swift 65 before being caught by Miller off the bowling of Josh Broad (2-65).

Bognor stuck to their task admirably and with Jim Fallick’s unheralded spin taking three for 54, the match was evenly poised. However Falah Uddin’s 78 off 66 balls saw the Eagles to a four-wicket win.

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