Charman loves it at Lindfield ... Keymer and Hassocks begin with win ... three out of three for Crawley Eagles

Burgess Hill 1st XI 248 for 5 (40 overs); Lindfield 1st XI 235 all out (37 overs)

Matt Charman’s love affair with Lindfield Common continued at the weekend with a match winning 4-53 which saw Burgess Hill win by 13 runs over their old rivals in the opening round of the hastily arranged August Cup.

On a sun-soaked Saturday afternoon, the visitors were inserted on a featherbed of a pitch and instantly set about their work.

Tom Trowbridge and Joe Maskell put on 84 for the first wicket, which was built on by Wajid Shah (45) and Kevin Ramsey (62) in the middle order. An enterprising 43 by Nathan Cooper in the final overs saw the Hillians rack up 248 for 5 in 40 overs.

Tom Hinley took 2-70.

However, with a flat pitch and a lightning outfield, the total looked far from daunting as Andy Stillwell set about chasing down the visitors’ score.

Looking good on 20, he was seen off by a dubious lbw decision, bringing on a mini collapse to 29-3.

Harry Moorat steadied the ship before Lindfield’s engine room of Tom Hinley (91) Simon Shivnarain (41) and Shane Peach (22) brought the hosts back into the game.

At 168-4, Lindfield looked in command, but didn’t reckon on Hugh Grant lookalike Matt Charman’s wily slow bowling.

Charman took the vital wickets of Shivnarain, Hinley, Peach and Dom Morgan to rock the hosts.

With their best batsmen back in the hutch, the Lindfield tail couldn’t muster the last few runs and were bowled out for 235 in 37

overs.

Charman said: “A couple of years ago, I got 6-14 here in a second team match, a feat my teammates and family were sick of hearing about.

“Perhaps I should play here every week!”

Lindfield got a small consolation as the 4th XI beat Burgess Hill 4th XI by 76 runs at Hickman’s Lane.

John Sage struck 90, while son Sean chipped in with 77.

The visitors were bowled out for 186 thanks mainly to Peter Booth’s 6 for 40.

n When they lined up on Monday evening both the Balcombe Bombers and the HK Horsemen were winless in the Sussex Slam.

It seemed certain that for one side, victory was coming.

After some impressive late innings batting from Guy Dutton, the Bombers set a total of 176. The Horsemen set of at a gallop and looked set for victory after 50s from Ben Humphreys-Davies and Giles Emmerson.

HK Horsemen entered the final over needing just two runs. After two dots and single, Horsted needed one run from three, but a dramatic hat-trick for Dave Warne saw three wickets fall in three balls: result, a tie.

Keymer & Hassocks

Keymer and Hassocks firsts kicked off their August Cup campaign with a victory away at Rottingdean. Keymer won the toss and chose to bat on a glorious day. Tidy early bowling from hosts Rottingdean kept the Keymer top order at bay as early wickets fell. Keymer number four Jesse Moffat was the only batsman on the day to come to terms with a tricky pitch on his way to a sublime 84 as Keymer notched up 183-8 off their 40 overs.

With the ball Keymer started strongly with some fine bowling from opening pair Deaglan Bartlett (3-38) and Joe Tindale (2-14) bowling Keymer into a strong position. Keymer bowlers stayed on top throughout with Ben Smit (2-21) and spinner Tom Fairfax (3-21) building on the impressive start to dismiss Rottingdean for 94 in 23 overs

Keymer II

The August Cup started with a home game for Hassocks 2s playing Hadlow Down 1s. Winning the toss, Hassocks choice to bat first on a lovely track. Losing an early wicket didn’t hamper the progress with some wayward bowling from one end. Shortly after, two quick wickets fell and the hosts were struggling but a long and lovely partnership between Ed Hollingdale and Conall Bartlett saw the hosts rack up some runs.

After posting 225 off 40 overs the home team found it hard to find their line and length with the ball as Hadlow's openers scored quickly, but a good over from Richard Marsden King saw the first wicket fall. A change from the top end saw U14 Lewis Elliott start with a strong first spell with four wickets which had Hadlow on the back foot for the rest of the game. Hassocks finally won off the last ball of the game. A special mention to Lewis Elliott who had a great second team debut with figures of 4-17 off 8 overs.

Keymer III

As is the norm, skipper James Griffin lost the toss - and Hassocks were asked to field first in muggy and humid conditions. Ardingly got off to a strong start putting on 85 for the first wicket before a superb throw in from Kieron Jones enabled the run out to be executed. The runs continued to flow freely during it he innings although wickets were picked up with two apiece for Gabriel Dodd and Griffin and one for Ethan Turner making his senior debut who was the pick of the bowlers. Ardingly finishing on 309 for 7 from their 40 overs.

The Hassocks reply got off to a bad start being reduced to 10 for 2 early before a century stand between 2 u15s Salvy Ganpatsingh and Tom Penswick who both hit their first senior 50s. Despite some middle order hitting from Jones who made 26 the reply feel away and were all out for 214.

Cuckfield v Eastbourne

Cuckfield CC faced Eastbourne in the first fixture of the August Cup and after electing to bowl, Eastbourne set about removing the Cuckfield top order.

Accurate bowling from Ben Twine (4-16) and Will Sheffield (1-35) and poorly executed shots from the top order left Cuckfield 20-5.

Rebuilding came from Ben Caiden (43) and Ben Candfield (43) supported by Greg Wisdom (32*). This dragged Cuckfield to a below par 165 all out with leg spinner Archie Lenham taking 5-39.

There was impressive bowling from Josh Hayward (1-13), but he was without support as Eastbourne cruised to a nine-wicket win.

Cuckfield’s bowlers sent down too many loose deliveries and clean striking by Alistair Orr (85*) and Archie Lenham (59*) undid them.

Cuckfield 2nd v Barcombe

Cuckfield twos faced Barcombe in their August Cup opener.

Cuckfield elected to bowl first on a decent track. Chris Osbourne and Theo Barker were unlucky to not take a wicket. Jason Oates broke the deadlock with his third ball, dismissing Callum Coppard (18) with a fantastic caught and bowled.

Barcombe’s Josh Wheatley (73) and Matthew Tucker (71) steered them to 246-6.

For Cuckfield, 15-year-old Greg Seed (3-43) offered control.

Cuckfield’s reply started well with George Galbraith-Gibbons (55) and Will Rossiter (43) setting a platform.

Matthew Tucker took 4-53 to leave Cuckfield needing 54. Despite Will Galbraith-Gibbons’ 32, Cuckfield ended 18 runs short.

Cuckfield 3rd v Streat & Westmeston

Iain Pringle and Alex Hardwicke took the game to the Streat bowlers on a decent track with a lightning outfield and put on 109 for the first wicket.

Piers Harrison smashed 51 off just 22 balls and Sam Shepherd added 51* while Hardwicke (126) completed a chanceless maiden century in a total of 331-4.

Rodney Canfield took 3-24 and Matt Slinger moppedup the tail with 5-17.

* Cuckfield’s fourths 4th XI were bowled out for 86 by St James’s Montifiore 3rd XI, who won by eight wickets.

Crawley Eagles

Crawley Eagles 1sts, 2nds and 3rds won their opening August Cup matches.

For the firsts, a brilliant all-round performance form Fallah Uddin guided Crawley Eagles to a 57-run victory over their Crawley CC.

Playing at Blackstones Cricket academy near Henfield, Eagles elected to bat, and solid batting from Shakir Al Hameed 63, Uddin 58 and 49 from captain Anjum Zafar helped them to 268 all out. Bilal Khan took 3-45 for Crawley.

In the reply Uddin grabbed 4-32, Mohammed Arif 2-39 and Imran Mehboob 2-37 to bowl out Crawley for 211.

Eagles seconds beat Crawley twos.

Captain Imran Habeebuallh bowled five overs, foir of which were maidens, and took 1-4 to help Eages to a two-wicket win.

The opposition were bowled out for 150, Safwan Muzamil bagging 3-23 off seven overs to support his captain.

Eagles chased down the score in 35 overs for the loss of eight wickets Salim Malik 26, Shannaz Rahem 25 and Wazoomi Wahid 30 all contributed.

For Crawley Eagles thirds, who played Tilgate, there was a dream debut as captain for Shazad Ali. Eagles posted 292-8 of 40 overs thanks to Khurram Shefique’s 65 and 63 from captain Shazad Ali.

In the reply Nabeel Shiraz scored 104 but Shazad Ali took 4-24 in a 31-run win.

Horley

Horley 2nd XI enjoyed a seven-wicket win over Caterham, supported by their first-teamers who had returned to Horley Row early when their match at Southern Rail and Kenley was abandoned after just a few overs with the wicket being dangerous.

Caterham made 120-9 in their 40 overs. Chris Cosham took 3-24 from eight overs, with Josh Mason taking a fine catch over his shoulder for the third wicket.

Adam Stephenson took two for 20 and George Heise held an excellent catch to give Darren Croft his wicket.

Naveed Sherwani and Kieran Childs each snapped up a caught and bowled, wicke keeper Andrew Thomas executed a smart stumping off Jorell Wildman (1-12) and 15-year-old Alex Field, bowling for the 2nd XI for the first time, conceded five runs from five overs.

Horley knew they had a low total to chase and after falling to 20-2 after five overs, Aryan Patel and Mason combined in a steady partnership of 42 for the next wicket before Mason fell for 12. Stephenson teamed up with Patel to see Horley home in the 27th over for the loss of just three wickets.

Patel made his second half-century for the 2nd XI in a fortnight, ending up on 54 not out, and Stephenson was 28 not out.

Horley Under-17/18

Having played very little cricket until last week, Horley entered the Under-U17/U18 Sussex Cricket Festival, with 80-over matches played at East Grinstead, Southwater, Barns Green and at home against Findon.

Horley started by losing to Southwater, but quickly improved with success against East Grinstead, Barns Green and Findon.

After a comfortable, low-scoring win v Barns Green, the following day Horley hit 264 off 42 overs at East Grinstead. Ben Remfry scored 127 not out and Aryan Patel took five wickets.

The final match against Findon saw Horley iscore 312 runs from 38 overs.

Zack Collins scored 104 not out – his first century for Horley – and Remfry also hit an unbeaten century.

It completed an incredible week for Remfry, as he scored 320 runs in the four Festival games and was out just once (for 38 at Southwater). Immediately after his 127 v East Grinstead he joined Horley’s senior players to play an evening match against Lingfield Lancers in the Surrey Slam T20 and retired on 51 not out.

Surrey Slam T20

Horley Hackers played their second Surrey Slam T20 match and beat Lingfield Lancers by nine wickets.

Lingfield scored 118-8 in their 20 overs, with Charlie Robins, Jordan Robins and Jonathan Barnett all taking two wickets each and Chris Cosham one.

Ben Remfry retired on 51 in Horley’s reply and Andrew Thomas (21no) and Nathan Baily (13no) saw Horley home

Horley Development XI

Horley’s Development XI are still looking for their first win of the season in the Surrey Trust League, after losing a low-scoring game at Beddington on Sunday by two wickets.

Horley batted first but were bowled out for 85 in just 22.5 overs, with spinner Neer Shah taking seven for 34 in seven overs, including his first three in one over to destroy Horley’s upper-middle order.

Horley were 29-7 before Jordan Robins and Charlie Robins put on 27 for the eighth wicket. Jordan top-scored with 20, Charlie made 18 and Jonathan Barnett (13) and Evan Grimwood (10) were the only other two batters to reach double-figures.

Horley took eight wickets before Beddington passed their total. Charlie Robins bowled well and there was an excellent catch by Harry Grimwood. Ben Davies took three wickets and Alex Field two.