Stirlands Twenty20 vision is deadly accurate at Hove

At the same time, the Stirlands under-11s were playing in a county-wide festival final at East Grinstead against Eastbourne.

Nick Fecher manages both teams and had to hot-foot it from Hove at the end of that game to East Grinstead.

The under-14s were playing on the main county wicket and were allowed to use the changing rooms and players’ balcony - while the big electric scoreboard was being used to keep score.

Ollie Viner won the toss and decided to bat first and Stirlands scored 111 for five, with Hugo Alun-Jones making 39, Dan Mugford 27 and Dom Fecher 27 not out.

Brighton could score only 103 for nine off their 20 overs. Mugford took two for 14, Fecher two for 24 and Viner two for 19.

Brighton’s big-hitting county player Alex Bone was bowled by a Mugford yorker for nine and that set the tone.

Highest Brighton scorer was Tom Haxby, out to a stunning catch at deep mid-on by George Hayes over his right shoulder.

So Stirlands won their area league, beat Three Bridges in the semi-final of the Champions League and won the final with a fantastic all-round team display.

The under-11s won their league this year and won their pool in festival week to go into their final.

They narrowly lost by 20 runs to an excellent Eastbourne side packed with county and area players. But the boys played with a fantastic spirit, losing key wickets at crucial times.

Harry Moores scored an unbeaten 103 in their first pool game - his maiden century.