Aldwick miss out in thriller ... West Wittering grateful for a Tupper treble

Worthing Chippingdale v Aldwick

Invitation division three

In the fading light and with only one over remaining, all three results were possible in a tense game.

With six balls left, Aldwick required 16 runs for victory with two wickets in hand and with John Young at the crease they must have fancied their chances.

But Chippingdale’s man of the match Faisal Khan (4-18) had other ideas as he removed Young and Ollie Smith in the final over and gave his side victory with two just balls to spare.

Chasing 178 for victory, Aldwick were clearly in the driving seat at 101 for two. Openers Joel Lodge (37) and Dean Stokes (35) shared in a 66-run opening partnership and Amit Chauhan (21) added more useful runs until the middle order collapsed at the hands of Pete Mansell (3-11), among others.

Earlier, despite knocks from the aforementioned Khan (46) and Aaron Tugnutt (36) the Aldwick bowlers, with assistance from the outfielders’ six catches, were in control.

Pick of the bunch was Ollie Smith with four for 43 from 14 overs and a two-over spell from Alex Cooper (3-14). Nevertheless, the home side snatched victory.

St Matthias v West Wittering

Invitation division five

Wittering travelled to Brighton to play a strong St Matthias side and came away with a five-wicket win.

WW lost the toss and were asked to field. Rob Gray (1-39) made an early breakthrough having the opener caught behind by Mitch Hackshaw.

Tim Osborne (1-47) claimed the second opener clean bowled and Gray was denied a second wicket by a rogue magpie who appeared behind the bowler’s arm.

Baines-Jump (64) proved a talented player before Carl Tupper took the ball and had an interesting first over, taking a wicket and conceding ten runs.

He found his line and began to start ripping through the middle order. He claimed five wickets for just six runs and the pressure was on the new batsman facing a hat-trick ball.

The batsman chipped the ball up and a diving catch forward by Jake Irwin-Brown gave him burnt elbows and Tupper his hat-trick, to the delight of the entire team.

At 125 for eight, Joe Sissons showed yet more promise, taking the final two wickets and leaving St Matthias 142 all out.

Mark Taylor (22), Irwin-Brown (28) and James White (19) all contributed with the bat, but it was Gray (23*) and Tupper (13*) who saw Wittering home for another 30 points.

Meanwhile, at the Millennium Meadow, West Wittering seconds beat Goring IV.

Wittering bowled out Goring for 126, Harry Pink taking six for 22, then knocked off the runs in 16.4 overs, Gareth Lendrum hitting a quickfire 80 not out.

Aldwick II v Warnham

Invitation division seven

Another week, another game - another five-wicket haul for Aldwick skipper Grant Wilson (5-18) which was the main factor in his side’s five-wicket victory over Warnham. Wilson has now taken 17 wickets in the first three league games.

With good support from Ryan Hicks (2-34) and Tom Hoare (2-27), Wilson’s team ripped through the visitors’ batting line-up. Only Stuart Richie (25) and a late rally from Phil Savage (18) and Guy Medley (18*) offered resistance to Wilson and his team-mates as Warnham were bowled out for just 120 in 34.4 overs.

With only 121 required for victory, Aldwick were unexpectedly struggling at 20 for four after losing both Mark Lester and Matt Robinson for ducks and opener Chris Redman for just four.

However, next up was Aldwick’s other main contributor of the day, Andy Burtenshaw (70) who featured in a 94-run fifth wicket partnership with Arthur Bradbury (30*) and victory was reached in the 25th over.

Pick of the bowling for the visitors were Mark Tidy (2-25) and David Pearce (2-33).