Cricket thriller: Buxted Park are champions as Crowhurst Park miss out by point

They made their final trip of the 2022 season to Crawley Eagles knowing 12 points would be enough to seal promotion and top spot.

The pitch looked as though it had suffered from the storms during the week, with the creases looking soggy.

But the game started on time, with Buxted taking the field after another successful toss win by Tom Clift.

The visitors got off to the perfect start with Chris James running out Zafer for 5, with Isaac Heater chipping in with a run out of his own. The Eagles found themselves 41-2.

Nick Cockcroft (3/31) dismissed Hameed for 23 thanks to a good catch by Craig Olive, which brought Razik (77) in.

He hit three sixes, making the ground look smaller than it was. Rehan Hasan supported him well with 30 off 58 balls, and Buxted didn’t strike again until the score had reached 126.

A mini collapse followed, thanks to tight bowling by part-time seamers Barnes (2/25) and Read (1/24). At 144-6 the game was in the balance.

Eagles captain Bashir (44) joined Razik and moved the score along at a good pace before he fell with the score at 208.

The innings slowly fizzled out, with Buxted taking three more key wickets in the last five overs to bowl out Eagles for 225 and guarantee their first 10 points of the day.

Park required 140 in the second innings to gain promotion.

Most weeks, 140 would seem a doddle to Buxted Park, with plenty of totals in 2022 doubling that figure. But cricket is a strange game, and Park learnt this pretty early on in the second act when Alfie Hunter saw the ball roll quietly back on to his stumps, 9-1.

Consistent performer Read fell shortly after thanks to a good catch, 16-2.

Barnes came in to join Coddington, who was taking regular hits from the ball, as it begun to misbehave off the surface.

He fell for a quick 11 runs. Nick Cockcroft came to the crease to join Coddington, but he chipped the ball to midwicket second ball. 34-4.

Buxted Park were staring down the barrel but hard-hitting Iain Allan came in and smashed 30 off just 19 balls, disregarding any misbehaviour from the pitch.

Coddington fell for a battling eight and Allan soon joined him. They had got their side to 69-6, but Buxted were still 71 runs short of their points target, and an increasingly long way off victory in the match.

Captain Clift (4) and Chris James scratched Buxted along to 87 before the former fell to Zafer.

When Craig Olive fell with the score at 100, Park had 40 to get, and only two wickets left in the tank. Dominic Heater joined James in the middle and the pair, slowly but surely started to build a partnership.

They took their time and took every run they could get their hands on. When James edged a free hit over the slips for 4, Buxted needed just two runs for the title. When Heater retook the strike that figure was down to 1.

A ball touched into the leg side was scrambled through for a single, and Buxted Park, against the odds, were champions of Division 3 East.

It was a miraculous effort, with backs against the wall to secure the second batting point and the 12 points for the day.

Buxted lost the final two wickets, with Isaac Heater the last to fall, and were all out for 154.

A loss has never been celebrated quite as much. There was relief among the travelling support and the players.

Against the odds, the Stags will play in Sussex’s second tier in 2023.

Elsewhere, the 2nd XI joined the 1st XI in promotion, beating Linden Park to secure second spot.

The 3rd XI survived on the last day of the Division 10 season, with a win over promoted neighbours Nutley (more below), with thanks to a five-fer from Rory Chalmers. The 4th XI ended the season with a five-wicket loss over promoted Isfield.

Crowhurst Park face a play-off against Steyning to decide who goes up to Division 2 of the Sussex League – after missing out on the Division 3 East title by just one point.

Playing Rye, Crowhurst Park knew they could become champions and Rye could be relegated.

Batting first with notable absentees in their line-up Park were soon in trouble with two second ball ducks to Carl Mumba (55-2). Brad Payne (25) and Demari Benta (33) stopped the rot but as more wickets fell Crows were looking fragile at 84-6 The experienced Martin Blincow (3-24) led the bowling.

There followed a partnership of 82 between Mathew Constable (75*) and Nick Peters (51). Matt Peters added a valuable 15* to help Park close on 237-7 Other Rye wicket-takers were Craig Pierce (1-40) and James Smeed (1-48)

In reply Rye were in early trouble at 22-2 to the opening attack of Matt Constable (1-38) and Jamie Bristow-Diamond (1-28) Jamie Hamilton (22) and Jackson Woodcock (39) stabilised the innings but with wickets falling Rye looked vulnerable at 115-5.

Luke Payton (86*) almost changed the momentum in Rye’s favour, but running out of overs Rye closed on 230-7.

Umpires Neil Kerrison and Dave Morris commented that with so much depending on the result both teams showed the best of sportsmanship and respect.

With top guns Buxted Park losing, Crowhurst Park finished second on 414 points, level with Buxted Park and Rye avoided the threat of relegation. One more point would have landed the title.

Crowhurst Park play Division 3W runners-up Steyning, tomorrow at Glynde for the final promotion place.

Newick v Herstmonceux

Division 5 East

A fine performance by Newick secured their place in the division for next season.

Herstmonceux elected to bat. Newick were in devastating form (Matt Sawyer 3-20 and Louis Ramsey 5-22) and Ceux were bowled out for 114.

Lloyd Jones took three catches.

Short work was made of reaching the target and Joe Waylett top-scored with 49.

Barcombe v Burgess Hill St Andrews

Division 5 CentralSt Andrews 141 all out in 32.3 overs; Allan Trower 2-13 Tommy Gaydon 2-37 Nick Beck 2-41; Barcombe 145-3 in 21 overs; Callum Coppard 50no Olly Callf 50 Matt Tucker 21. Barcombe won by 7wkts.

Buxted 227-8 beat Nutley 130

Division 10 East

Nutley are promoted but blew their chance of taking the title with a heavy defeat away to Buxted thirds.

Nutley took two early wickets to get their title challenge off to a good start.

However, Colin Coddington (45) and Will Dean (32) played aggressively to rebuild. Ollie Read (46) continued the good work and Nick Marsh (41) and Steve Lovell (23*) helped Buxted to 227-8.

Vivek Singh (3/46) and Paul Carter and Warren Freer (two apiece) were the top bowlers

Nutley's reply never got going as Toby Anderson (3/42) did damage before Alan Poulter (32) and Singh (30) put up a fight. Rory Chalmers (5/28) cleaned up as Nutley were dismissed for 130.

Crowhurst Park 2nd 194 (13pts); Battle 266-9 (30pts)

Batting first the home side’s openers took the score to 145 before the fall of the first wicket. Jo Carthew (31) fell to James Bunday (3-42).

Guy Ballard (130) held the innings together allowing Battle to close on 266-9 For Park, Toby Burdekin (3-17) Basie Sturdee (2-48) Jon Peters (1-55) bowled well.

In reply Park batted positively but lost wickets to Kyle Ridgway (4-38) George Howard Smith (2-45) David Baldock (2-48). Park batters made good starts but despite the effrorts of Luke Burdekin (48) Josh Jones (27 and Basie Sturdee (26) they faded to 194 all out.

Robertsbridge 2nd 329-6 (30pts); Sidley 162 (10pts)

Sidley ended their season with a heavy defeat against title-winning opposition.

Craig Ramsden's side lost by 167 runs away to the Sussex Cricket League Division 10 East champions.

Sidley were made to toil in the field as Robertsbridge amassed 329-6 from 40 overs after choosing to bat.

James Pexton (72), Steve Tooke (68) and Pat Grace (58) all made half-centuries.

Steve Ramsden was Sidley's most successful bowler with three wickets against his former club; Amie Anderson, Cavan O'Connor and Jamie Ramsden picked up one apiece.

Sidley came up well short in reply as they were all out for 162. Steve Ramsden top-scored with 40, Anderson made a season's best 34 and Jamie Ramsden 21.

Kerala Strikers 1st XI 304 all out; Battle 2nd X: 131 for 9. Kerala won by 173 runs

The deserved winners of their division of the Sussex League were clear well before the start of this match at Ashburnham.

However, Battle’s second string have had a successful season of their own, finishing a creditable fourth with a squad boasting plenty of youth.

Kye Phillips (3-16), who had a spectacularly good season with bat and ball, struck early, as did Michael Dudgeon.

However, a brutal fourth wicket stand of 156 in just 11 overs between Jomy Jose (125) and Carol Thomas (46) sent Battle fielders regularly into an assortment of hedgerows and ditches in search of lost balls.

To Battle’s credit, they stuck to their task and took the last seven wickets for 56 runs, Kieran Dudgeon claiming two and Louis Berryman three.

In reply, Laurence Flint (20) and Phillips (31) flourished briefly, but Basheer’s (6-24) pace and zip proved too much. With Kerala beginning to enjoy the certainty of their season’s success, only a ast wicket stand of 20 led by Andy Poulter (22*) helped Battle to see out their 40 overs.

Winchelsea 183-2; Richard Merricks XI 180

Winchelsea hosted the Richard Merricks XI – the 60th anniversary of the fixture.

The visitors decided to bat first.

The Merricks team scored 50 before the first wicket fell to Hamish Payne (1-54).

A stand of 101 looked to be quickly taking the game away from Winchelsea.

Mike Stoneham dismissed Harry Smeed (70), before he reduced the visitors to 157-5 including the wicket of Spencer Fielding (71).

Stoneham finished with 5-48, and Phil Wheeler (2-1) and Ed Jury (1-13) were the other wicket takers as the Merricks XI were dismissed for 180.

The run chase got off to a steady start before Roger Tidyman (10) was trapped lbw by Ryan Dowdeswell (1-40) with the score on 32.

Ed Jury and Chandu Wickramarchchi looked to punish wayward bowling and in a partnership of 75 moved the momentum to the home side.

Jury (35) was caught off Ben Clifton (1-38). Phil Wheeler (47no) and Wickramarchichi (89) sealed victory.